Changing your living accommodation whether it is a new neighborhood, town or city can be a bit daunting, if it is a rented house or apartment you will inevitably have to place a deposit for the landlord’s peace of mind, but for your peace of mind, you need a solid agreement about it being received if you leave to move on somewhere else.
There are many things to consider when signing a rental agreement and the contract which is legally binding should not be signed before being thoroughly read and understood.
When moving, which can be stressful for anybody, still take the time to check everything and take a few pictures of how the property was when you moved in so there is no confusion if you move out. Keeping the rented property clean is essential otherwise you may need an end of tenancy cleaning service, whilst often not too expensive provided by a reputable and professional company if the apartment or house is not clean or damaged it can affect your right to your deposit. Here are some examples of the things that should be taken notice of when renting a property.
Understand Your Rental or Lease Contract Before Signing
A vital part of signing your rental agreement is understanding the terms and conditions if you want to ensure you receive your deposit on leaving the premises, the condition is vital that the property should always be left as when you first moved in. Landlords can always find fault in the condition so it is important to fully understand the terms and conditions of your agreement, natural wear and tear of carpets, for example, is to be expected and you should not be held accountable unless it is a wine stain or cigarette burn.
Read through the agreement and don’t sign unless you are happy with it, many people just sign, or if done via a computer just click yes without understanding or reading the contract first. It may not seem a big deal but it is legally binding and you can be held responsible for breaking the agreement that you made.
How Much Should You Pay For a Deposit?
Many landlords will ask you to pay a deposit that is understandable, they may have had bad tenets in the past. Expect to pay at least one month in advance and possibly more, it is standard practice for this to happen. Once the agreement is signed and the contract understood by both parties it will be the duty of the landlord to return a full refund of the deposit if the terms and conditions have been kept to.
Both the tenant and the landlord must agree on the terms and often in certain countries, the deposit will be held separately with financial companies to ensure fairness if the landlord does not want to give back the deposit or the full amount if they find fault in the contract. Often this is the case, but if any damage to the property is not your fault then receiving your full deposit is your right. For example, in the UK as per government rule, the letting agent or landlord must put your deposit in an authorized scheme and notify you of this within 30 days. Then, if you find that the landlord didn’t protect deposit, you as the tenant can take legal action against the landlord for failing to protect the tenancy deposit.
Giving Due Notice to When You Intended to Move Out
Landlords do have a right to withhold your deposit if you suddenly move out, that should have been in the contract and should have been arranged from the start of the tenancy. It is only fair on both parties, giving due notice is essential to receiving your money back unless agreed on beforehand. Also, an inspection of the property will need to be made before you leave to ensure everything is in good order.
Leaving without due notice many landlords will withhold the deposit, also just by paying the deposit it doesn’t mean that you can use it for a month’s rent in advance. The deposit is just that and will be returned upon your leaving. A good landlord or property owner will be happy to return the deposit if all of the contract details you sign are correct.
Ensuring The Property is in a Good Condition Before Moving in
Taking a good inspection of the property before signing a contract for your new accommodation is essential, any issues you have to need to be addressed by the landlord to ensure you are not held accountable should you leave. Talk to the owner and take pictures of anything that doesn’t seem correct, the damage already done is not your responsibility and is the owner’s problem to fix them and you should not be held accountable for them.
Conclusion
Renting a property long-term or for a short time is still a big responsibility, after all its, not your property. But if you take care you give due notice when you leave you have every right to your deposit being returned. Make sure the contract is understood by both parties concerned.
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