RENTAL PROPERTY CHECKLIST FOR TENANTS

Tenants, before you rent a place, list all the the pros and cons of each rental property you look at. This free Rental Property Checklist lists all the things you should look for in a rental that is best for your budget and lifestyle, what to do once you have found a place you think is right for you, and tips to help get you through the move.

Getting Started
First, think about what kind of place you want to rent – a house, an apartment, a duplex, condo / townhouse? Will you be renting on your own or sharing a place with one or more roommates? Do you have a preferred location? How much can you afford to pay in rent? Do you want a periodic tenancy (such as month to month, week to week, etc), or a fixed term lease? These are all important considerations before you sign a lease or tenancy agreement.

Then go out and look at a number of rental properties to see what’s available that fits into your budget. Check out each property carefully, using the checklist to help you keep track of important information about each place. The checklist includes some suggestions to consider, but you need to decide what items are most important to you. For instance, if you own a pet, you need to find out if pets are allowed and whether you will have to pay a separate pet damage deposit, over and above the regular damage deposit.

You can add your own rental criteria to the checklist and remove any that don’t apply to you. For example, if you don't own a vehicle, then having a garage is not that important to you. If you're not into mowing the lawn, you probably won't want to rent a house with a big yard that will involve a lot of maintenance.

Once You’ve Found the Place That Fits You
Make sure that you and your new landlord:
• Complete a thorough property inspection and write down any damage or deficiency in the property.
• Sign the property inspection report together, taking careful notes regarding any existing damage or deficiencies.
• Read over the lease / tenancy agreement and write in any conditions that you both agree on before you sign. Be sure you each keep a copy.
• Agree on how you will pay the rent, e.g. direct debit, post-dated checks, etc.
• Pay the damage deposit to the landlord and receive a receipt as confirmation of the payment.

Before You Move In
• Obtain tenant insurance to cover all your furniture and personal goods, as the landlord’s insurance does not cover your stuff in the event of loss or damage.
• Find out which day is trash day.
• Arrange for connection of the utilities, telephone, cable TV, Internet, etc.
• Notify your doctor, dentist, workplace, bank, friends, family, etc. of your new address.
• File a change of address with the post office to redirect your mail.

Always that you know your rights and obligations as a tenant. Check the Government pages in the phone book for a toll-free line to the local landlord / tenant advisory board, and read a copy of the law that governs tenancies in your area. These can often be downloaded free of charge from government websites.

The Rental Property Checklist for Tenants is available free of charge from MegaDox.com, where you can also find a variety of other Tenant Forms, such as Notice of Termination forms to be served on your landlord. These forms are all easy to use and fully editable to meet your individual needs.