Renting your first home is an exciting rite of passage that everyone goes through! But while it can be exhilarating getting a taste of freedom, it could also prove to be a harrowing experience if you don’t know what to look for or what to avoid. Negotiating rentals, dealing with brokers and reading the fine print on legal documents could be a painful experience, too.
To help you to navigate through this ordeal, here’s our ultimate checklist for the first-time home renter. Armed with this guide, you just can’t go wrong! And no worries, you can always thank us later!
Location, Location, Location!
It’s all about the location, especially if you live in a crowded city and want to avoid nasty commutes! Look for a rental that’s within a half-hour radius of your office. Or if you’ll be working from home most of the time, then look for a place that’s as close as possible to your best buddies, or your favourite hotspots in town! Again, if you have kids, then a home that’s close to their school is an important prerequisite.
Budget Wisely
This is where you’ll have to do a fine balancing act. In all probability (this really should be one of Murphy’s Laws!), homes in the location you’re seeking will be way out of your budget. You’ll have to draw the line somewhere, by opting for a place that involves more travel time, or by being willing to shell out a bit more. Weigh the pros and cons wisely, keeping in mind that if you go overboard, you’ll have less money at the end of the month.
How Many Bedrooms?
You must already have a pretty good idea about the size of your rental. Will you be sharing with a friend, or do you have your family with you? Will you often have overnight guests? Do you have kids who need their own space? If you’ve decided that a two-bedroom flat is what you need, stay resolute and don’t start looking at three-bedroom offers. Make up your mind at the very outset and avoid signing up for something that doesn’t really suit your needs.
The Floor Plan
If you believe in vastu, does the house live up to your expectations? For instance, toilets in the south west are an absolute no, and a kitchen in the north east would be frowned upon, too. Even if you don’t believe in vastu, is there adequate fresh air and light in all the rooms? Are the rooms too small or poorly positioned? Which floor is the apartment on, and is there a lift with a generator back up in case of power outages? All these are questions you should be asking.
Think of Your Lifestyle
Your home should suit your needs, and there’s no two ways about that. Are you a yoga buff? Look for a terrace or a room where you can roll out your mat and do those asanas. Is cooking your thing? You might need a kitchen that’s bigger than most, to make room for your fancy appliances! Do you love binge-watching movies on your days off? If you can carve out space for a home theatre, that’s an added plus.
Check Out the Storage!
You can never have enough storage in a home, but what’s important is that you shouldn’t have to cope with too little! Even if your rental home is on the smaller side, do ensure that you have adequate storage space for your clothes and all other essentials. Look for wardrobes and cabinets that utilise every inch of available space. Cleverly designed storage that makes use of even the smallest nooks, like the space in your utility or below the bedroom windows, will be a huge plus.
Kitchen and Bathrooms
You might be able to compromise on the rest of the house, but the kitchen and bathrooms should be beautifully fitted out and functional—there’s no way you can renege on that! Look for bathrooms that have separate wet and dry spaces and plenty of fresh air and ventilation. Your kitchen should have a well-defined work triangle, with space to tuck away all appliances and gadgets out of sight when you don’t need them. In case you’re running short on cabinetry, a loft would be a good idea too.
Plumbing
If the home you’re renting is more than ten years old, you’ll want to check the utilities with a fine-tooth comb. Check the ceiling and walls in the bathroom and just outside for any signs of dampness. Look for plumbing leaks and drips, and ask for repairs to be completed before you move in. Make sure all the flushing cisterns work smoothly, and switch on the geysers to see if the water really does get hot.
Electrical Outlets
The same goes for electrical points and sockets too! Make a list of appliances and gadgets you own, and ensure that there are enough plugs and sockets to accommodate them all. Get an electrician to check on the quality of wiring, see whether the earthing is sound and ensure that all the light switches and fans work. Check whether you can run up to three heavy-duty appliances at the same time without the power tripping.
Garden Space
Every home needs a little bit of lung space, whether it’s a lovely open garden, a terraced deck area or a vertical green wall on a balcony. If this isn’t possible, look for a sunny east-facing window where you can park your potted plants. And even if you have a brown thumb, make gardening your thing! Plants can change the energy of a home, and it’s always important to add some greenery to your life.
Neighbours
This might be a bit hard to check before you move in, but we suggest that you ask around and find out what the neighbours are like before you sign on that dotted line! Points to keep in mind—would they object to pets, if you have them? Or noisy children, for that matter? And if you are a non-vegetarian, would they have issues with the flavoursome aromas of fried fish coming out of your kitchen (or vice versa!)?
Legalese
Last, but not least, let’s look at all the legal fine print! Double-check all the paperwork and read every paragraph of the rental agreement. The document should mention the deposit that you have paid, rental tenure and the percentage increase on rent every year. If there’s a maintenance fee involved, it must be mentioned as well. And make sure that the cost of repairs is clearly sorted out, too. Who will pay in case there are plumbing issues or lighting problems? A well-laid-out document should even mention how many keys are being handed over, and list out all the fitted or loose furniture that is included in the rental.
Need help fitting out your rental home? Just give the HomeLane team a call, and we can talk about your home décor dreams over a cup of coffee!
