Do you live in a rented house? Before making a decision, there is a laundry list of things you should look into, including the physical condition of the flat, associated costs, and relevant documents. BivocalBirds.com makes an attempt to cover some of the important aspects of renting a home.

Renting a home may appear simple at first, but it can be very daunting if you overlook some important factors that must be considered before moving into the house. While the paperwork in a rental scenario may be taken lightly, the consequences for tenants are far more severe if some critical factors are overlooked. Apart from inspecting the exteriors and interiors, it is also necessary to conduct a legal check on ownership before renting the apartment.

It is crucial to check the exterior and interior of the property before you decide to make a choice for your rental flat.​

Physical inspec​tion of the flat 

Before renting a flat, you must conduct a physical inspection of the flat. Examine the furniture and fixtures, including the plumbing, electrical, and sanitary fittings. As a tenant, you must visit the flat or the owner to see the exact location and demand that the owner make any changes to the flat before you move in. Physical inspection aids in avoiding any later confusion between the parties.

  1. Maintenance charges: Clauses of annual and monthly maintenance can be a big issue of dispute between owner and tenant. So, a tenant should be well-informed about conditions before renting the flat. Regular maintenance aspects such as water taps, electricity boards, and wiring might not be on the top of your checklist, but heavy interior or outdoor damage repair and coloring of walls can turn into a matter of debate. Hence, these must be discussed right away.
  2. Lock-in period and rent increment after the end of the rent agreement period: The minimum lock-in period (the minimum stay duration) should be clearly stated in the lease agreement between the tenant and the owner, such as six months, one year, or three years. This lock-in period is usually one year. Also, when leaving the flat, the notice period, adjustment of advance security, and payment of the electricity bill should be discussed. As a result, before moving into the house, the lease agreement should be carefully read and any confusion should be cleared up. The discussion of the percentage increase in the rental amount must take place at the time of signing the agreement. Section 6 governs the permitted rent increase and the period after which a rent increase is justified.
  3. Flat documents: You must ensure that the property is free of any fraud or title issues before purchasing an apartment or flat of your choice through a broker or directly from the owner. You can request documents such as the chain of title transfer, the most recent paid electricity and water bills, the overall layout and provision of changes (if any), the owner's relationship with the broker (if any), and the basic know-how of the previous tenant who lived there.
  4. Other factors

Apart from these 3 essential things, there are other factors which prove out to be sufficient while renting.

  1. Brokerage charge discussion- If the apartment is finalized through a broker, the commission amount should be discussed at the outset because it can range from half a month's rent to a full month's rent. It varies by city, and it is best to go through an organized broker to avoid future harassment.
  2. Facilities in society - Choosing a flat in a society is more difficult than choosing one on a builder floor. The owner is responsible for informing the tenant about all types of paid and unpaid services available to the tenant. Extra parking, conditional club use, swimming pool, door-to-door service charges, RWA, and other fees may be added later if the builder fails to mention them initially.

If you are looking for a flat on rent in Noida you have decided the right place to live and browse through several home options here at BiovcalBirds.

Read More Articles:

1. 8 Ways to Make Your Rented House a Home

2. The Common Problems Tenants Face are Now Resolved

3. Know these Dos and Don’ts before moving in a rented house