Moving In and Moving Out:

Transcription

1 Apartment Basics Book Moving In and Moving Out: Tenant Rights and Responsibilities Presented by Friends Housing, Inc.

2 Page 2 Friends Housing, Inc. Table of Contents Introduction 3 Inspecting the Apartment 3 Moving In To-Do List 4 Your Responsibilities as a Tenant 5 Your Landlord s Responsibilities 6 I Want to Move Out, Now What? 6 Cleaning Up and Moving Out 7

3 Apartment Basics Book Page 3 Introduction Congratulations! You signed the lease and are ready to move into your new apartment. Now what? First, you should always inspect your new apartment with the landlord and describe the condition of the unit before you move in. Also, there are a few things you will need to do before moving in, to make your new home comfortable. Inspecting the Apartment You should always inspect your apartment before moving in and when you move out. You and your landlord should look at the apartment together and agree on the condition. You might take photos or video of the walk-through for future reference. Many landlords will give you an inventory checklist to be used during the walk-through. If an inventory checklist is not provided, you can use the one included in this information packet. The checklist lists items in each of your apartment s rooms, such as the sink, tub, and light fixtures. With each item you will write down what the condition is at the time of your move-in. The same checklist will be used when you move out, and the condition will again be noted. After the move-in inspection is completed and you and your landlord sign the checklist, be sure to get a copy for your files.

4 Page 4 Friends Housing, Inc. Moving In To-Do List Moving can be stressful. Here are a few things that you should do as soon as possible to make sure you have everything you need in your new home. Check with your landlord first to see which of the following is your responsibility. Some items may include:!" Contact utility companies and have service put in your name for the following:!" Electric and/or gas Company!" Telephone Company!" City or County water/sewer/garbage service (usually paid by landlord)!" Cable Company!" Notify your bank, credit card companies, friends, and family of your new address and phone number.!" Check to see that your name is placed on your mail box if needed.!" Fill out a change of address form at the post office. Also, by getting to know your neighbors and speaking to them often, you may be better able to avoid problems with them in the future. If you are friendly, they may be more likely to listen when you talk to them about problems such as loud music or other issues.

5 Apartment Basics Book Page 5 Your Responsibilities As A Tenant!" Follow the rules of your rental or lease agreement.!" Always pay rent and utilities on time.!" Keep your apartment and outside areas clean and in good condition.!" Respect your neighbor s right to privacy.!" Use gas, plumbing and electrical fixtures (stove, bathtub, lights) correctly.!" Throw away your trash and garbage in the trash cans provided outside.!" Don t destroy or damage the property and don t allow your friends or family to do so.!" Don t remove any permanent part of your home, such as walls or doors, or any appliances that are not yours, and don t allow others to.!" Call your landlord as soon as possible if any locks, windows, or other security features are broken.!" Use the unit as a place to live and use each room for its intended purpose. Cook in the kitchen, not the bedroom!!" Keep the apartment to the same condition as when you moved in (except for normal wear and tear).!" Let your landlord know about any repairs that are needed right away; don t let a leaky sink turn into a flooded apartment!

6 Page 6 Friends Housing, Inc. Your Landlord s Responsibilities The following are some of the responsibilities expected of your landlord:!" Follow the terms of your rental or lease agreement.!" Take care of your apartment according to local building codes.!" Maintain plumbing, gas, electrical and heating services.!" Keep common areas clean, safe and free of pests.!" Provide plenty of garbage cans in good repair.!" Keep floors, stairways, and railings in good repair.!" Provide smoke detectors in multi-unit buildings.!" Provide operable deadbolt locks on front entry doors and locks on windows. I Want to Move Out, What Now? Your rental lease usually states how to give notice before you move out of your apartment. Read your lease to find out when you need to tell your landlord you are moving. Many leases require you to give notice 30 days before moving. You should always give this news to your landlord in writing. Having this information in writing can help you avoid problems in the future. You can write a short letter to your landlord saying that you will be moving out of your apartment.

7 Apartment Basics Book Page 7 Remember to include the date you are giving notice to your landlord in your letter, as well as the date you plan to move out. Always keep a copy of this letter for your records. Try to give the notice to your landlord in person. If you cannot, mail your letter by certified mail with return receipt requested. If you have a lease agreement and want to move before your lease is finished, remember that you will usually be responsible for rent until the lease ends, unless the landlord can rent the apartment to someone else. Always read your lease for further details. Cleaning Up and Moving Out Moving out can be stressful too. You have to move all of your things out of the apartment and have enough time to clean up before you turn in your keys by the day given in your notice to the landlord. First, it is important that you are moved out of your apartment on the day stated in your notice. Your landlord may have already rented the unit to another person who needs to move in, and may need to clean. Finally, if you would like your deposit money returned, you must leave your apartment clean and in good condition, with some normal wear and tear allowed. Make sure that you give yourself enough time to clean up and ask your landlord to do a final inspection of the apartment with you. Using the checklist you filled out when you moved in, you and the landlord will write down the condition of the apartment. You may want to take photos or video as proof that you left the apartment clean and in good condition.

8 Before You Move Out... Just like when you moved in, there are a few things you must do when moving out of an apartment:!" Contact you utility companies and have service turned off at the apartment you are moving out of (or, if needed, transferred to your new apartment)!" Electric and/or gas Company!" Telephone Company!" City or County water/sewer/garbage service (usually this is the landlord s responsibility)!" Cable Company!" Submit a change of address card with the post office so that your mail will be forwarded to your new home.!" Notify your bank, credit card, friends, and family of your new address and phone number.!" Leave a forwarding address with your landlord so that they can return your security deposit. If you have questions about any of the topics described in this book, or need more information about housing resources, contact Friends Housing, Inc.. Phone: W. Adams Blvd., Los Angeles, CA Consumer and Family Education Project