Real Estate Matters | The Definitive Guide For Tenants: Part 4 – First Week In Your Property

Juliet Risdon

The Definitive Guide For Tenants
The Yearly Guide For Renting A Home
This is the fourth part of the five-part article about the rental process for tenants. Hopefully you will have read last weeks article about the process of ‘Moving In’.
What is so special about the first week in the new apartment?
We find that during this period there are four specific phases that tenants go through:

1. Matching the reality with your expectations
2. Becoming aware of things you wouldn’t spot during a visit
3. Confirm the inventory
4. Snagging

Matching reality and your expectations.
Is the vision that we hold in our mind’s eye of the apartment when we last saw it consistent with your new home?
The excitement of moving in can sometimes have the shine taken off the moment we open the door to our new place, because it looks different from how we remember it.
The previous tenants have moved out and removed their “homely and personal” touches which may have transformed the place in a rather sparse and cold shell. Without all of the personal objects to draw your eye, you may notice more marks and stains.
Another issue may be that you discover it is not as clean as you thought it would be. During the move out and vacancy period a lot of dust may have accumulated and it may not have been cleaned as thoroughly as you would have liked.

Becoming aware of things your wouldn’t spot during a visit
When you viewed your apartment, did you inspect some of the hidden things, those things that are not so obvious?
For example did you check the mattresses, look closely at the tiles in the shower to see if they are clean and free from mould, or try to flush the toilet to see how well it worked?
Most people do not ‘check’ these small items as they don’t wish to be impolite.
You may also become aware of noise from other apartments which you are not used to, or smells coming from the building, drains or other people’s cooking.

Finalise the inventory & readings
During the first week you really get a chance to make sure the inventory you are signing is correct and report anything for correction including such things as meter readings.
We suggest that you go through the inventory on a ‘room by room’ basis as soon as you can after moving in

Snagging
If you notice marks and defects you have to report them straight away to the landlord or the owners representative.
This is important so that you are not blamed for the damage. For example, if the vacuum cleaner is not working, you may not know about the problem until you move in and try to use it.
If there are items missing such as cutlery, this should also be reported as missing immediately.
We hope you will join us next week to read the final part of this five part series on the process of renting for tenants – “On-going Living and Termination”.

Juliet Risdon is a Director of JML Property and a property investor.
Having been established in 1994, JML Property offers Investment Property & Homes. It specializes in managing properties for owners and investors, and providing attractive and comfortable homes for tenants.

www.JMLProperty.com
[email protected]