4 Ways To Learn Everything You Should Know About Your Potential Landlords

November 23, 2022 | By Stella M AuthorMy First Apartment

Your relationship with your landlord can make or break an apartment, so it’s useful to know as much as you can about them before signing a lease. How are you supposed to learn whether a landlord will be good before you move in? Here are four of the best strategies. Read online reviews You can…

When Can (and Can’t) Your Landlord Enter Your Apartment?

October 13, 2022 | By Stella M AuthorMy First Apartment

One common question among first-time renters is regarding when your landlord can or can’t enter your apartment. Your apartment, while not technically your property, is your own space and offers you some legal privacy and protection. Read on below to learn when exactly your landlord can and can’t enter your apartment. Implied right of private…

Leaking Apartment Roof? Here’s When Your Landlord Should Call a Roofer

June 21, 2022 | By Stella M AuthorMy First Apartment

One great thing about renting an apartment as opposed to buying a home is that you don’t have to pay for repairs like a leaky roof. But what if you have a leaky roof in your apartment and don’t know what to do? Read on below to learn about your legal protections when your apartment…

How to Ask Your Landlord to Add a Pets-Allowed Clause to Your Lease

November 29, 2021 | By Stella M AuthorMy First Apartment

When you’re moving into your first apartment, your landlord could have some very particular demands. Dealing with these demands can be a bit of a headache, and it’s often hard to get your landlord to change their mind. This is especially important if you have a pet or want a pet. Many landlords have very…

Should You Research Your Landlord or Apartments Before Signing a Lease?

November 16, 2021 | By Stella M AuthorMy First Apartment

Trying to find a new apartment can be a pretty intimidating task; this is going to be your home for the foreseeable future! Because of this, many potential renters wonder if they should do research on the landlord or apartments. The answer is a resounding yes! Anything you can do to gain more information before…

When Can You Legally Withhold Rent?

November 3, 2021 | By Stella M AuthorMy First Apartment

There are times when tenants can legally withhold their rent. You have the right to safe, sanitary, and habitable housing. Plumbing that doesn’t work properly, mold, and mildew are some examples of unsafe and unsanitary conditions. If the landlord consistently fails to provide changes to these challenging circumstances after repeated requests, then under certain circumstances,…

How to Find a Guarantor

October 7, 2021 | By Stella M AuthorMy First Apartment

For first-time renters or those looking to rent without proof of stable employment and income, landing that dream apartment may take an extra effort. When you’re credible but not quite meeting all the marks, a landlord may recommend you find a guarantor, allowing you to meet their requirements in a combined group effort. If you’re…

Five Essential Subletter Etiquette Rules

November 15, 2019 | By Stella M AuthorMy First Apartment

If you’re subletting from someone, you’ll be living in an apartment that’s at once yours and very much not yours. You might be a bit worried about how you can properly feel at home while respecting the original tenant’s space. With these five essential rules for subletter etiquette rules, you should have no trouble comfortably…

Should You Rent from a Landlord or a Management Company?

November 7, 2019 | By Stella M AuthorMy First Apartment

Moving into a new apartment can be an exciting change, but dealing with a new landlord and getting used to how they communicate and attend to repairs can be an experience that needs adjusting. Many people can recount horror stories of renting apartments from unresponsive or uncaring landlords and living longer than necessary in poor…

Can Your Landlord Raise Your Rent?

October 17, 2019 | By Stella M AuthorMy First Apartment

If you’ve ever rented an apartment, you’re probably all too familiar with the nagging worry that your landlord will eventually raise your rent. In some cities, this practice is more common than in others, though it is fully legal throughout the U.S. That said, there are rules on how landlords must go about raising your…