Renting a house can be an exciting thing. Some people love the idea of coming home to a house. Some renters love the idea of having a front and back yard. While other people are going into renting a home to have more space for the family. Whatever the case may be, there are a few things that should be checked on before a person signs a rental contract.
1. Is there hot water and gas/electric?
Renters in the past have gone a week or more with no heat or hot water? Why? They didn't make sure that the gas/electric was on before they moved in. A renter may move in and not know that there are repairs needed to be done on the water heater. This mistake may keep them in the cold.
Most gas companies will come and check fixtures on a house. They will inform you which gas pipes in the house need to be capped off. They will let you know what kind of external repairs need to be made on the water heater. There is actually an extensive check list that the gas company looks for. So having the list pass is an important thing before a home owner can bring hot water and warm air into the home.
2. Do you know the plumbing?
A new house tenant should know about quality and age of the pipes. The new house tenant should also know about any pipe repairs that have been done to the house. Older pipes may cause troublesome situations for the renter. There are also certain cleaning products that should not be used with certain types of pipes. This statement is especially true if the pipes are older than 25 year of age.
3. Is the foundation of the house level?
Every home has a foundation. When the house foundation begins to crumble it can cause havoc on the inside of the house. A bad foundation can cause doors to not fit correctly. Cracks in the walls and ceiling will become apparent. Windows will begin to not close and open correctly.
A bad foundation can also increase your electric or gas bill. When windows and doors don't fit correctly they let warm air out of the house and cold air into the house. So warming and cooling the house will become more costly as time goes on.
4. Do you know where the cable is going to go
A renter will save more time knowing where the cable will come into the house. This allows a renter to place the living room furniture or the office furniture in a place that won't conflict with the cable.
5. Who else lives in the house?
Nothing is scarier then opening up the cabinets and finding rat fecal matter. Not only does it take more time to move in but it's a definite sign that the house is not clean. When you are looking at a house to rent, be sure to check all of the cupboards. If bugs, mice, and rats are found then notify the owner of the home. It is his responsibility to get rid of the vermin.
