Looking at the facts
For those people who are only renting they will often relocate every couple of years.
Every time this happens you have to carefully inspect the property into which you are moving and you should document as accurately as possible the current condition of that property since this is very important to avoid a situation where you are held responsible for damages which have occurred before you have moved in.
And this is exactly why you should never move into a property before a thorough inspection of that property has not been conducted.
Many people will do everything to avoid a situation where they may seem to insulting their new landlord but quite frankly an inspection is good business practice because it helps to secure your security deposit and it ensures that you will be able to recover that deposit when you finally move.
People who rent properties have just as much legal protection as property owners and when people are aware of their rights, this makes it easier to ensure that you do not end up in a situation where you are unnecessarily exploited.
Take responsibility and be actively involved
There are unfortunately some unscrupulous landlords who will make use of every trick in the book to exploit tenants and to use their deposits because this provides them with a cost free solution when it comes to maintaining various parts of the property or simply to deal with normal wear and tear which may occur.
This is why it is so important to do a proper move in inspection preferably in the presence of the landlord and the person moving.
It is important that everyone agrees as far as existing damage is concerned and that the checklist is signed by all parties.
It is best to have all of these things in place before actually moving in.
Do not accept the word of the landlord that the inspection has already been conducted and that there is nothing to worry about.
It is your security deposit which is at stake and therefore if you fail to take responsibility at this early stage then you might find yourself in an impossible situation when it becomes time to collect your security deposit.
When you are informed that such an inspection has already been conducted simply stand on your legal rights and insist that you want to be present at such an inspection especially if you’re expected to put down a security deposit.
Dealing with existing damage
Be very careful when it comes to the issue of existing damage and you should avoid a situation where you are made responsible for damage which has not been caused by you or your family.
It is also known that many tenants especially those where have been moving on a frequent basis are over time becoming very skilled in the hiding of existing damage because this helps them to avoid losing part of the security deposit or a situation where they are held responsible for the damage which has been caused.
Some of the damages may include things such as paint which has been damaged, nails which has been hammered into walls, dents due to impact damage or unsightly scrapes which has been caused by moving furniture or other objects.
The reality is that when professional painters are used the cost of such a service can be substantial and there is a real possibility that this might end up costing more than the security deposit.
Pay particular attention to debris and other dirt which may lie on the floor close to walls especially behind furniture and also in the vicinity of showers which can provide an indication that damage to walls has occurred at some point.
If such things are not documented, you could be held responsible when your tenancy comes to an end.
Commonly encountered defects
Never forget to consider the factor of normal wear and tear when it comes to appliances or other broken electrical items in a property which you have rented.
You cannot be expected to pay for these things unless you personally have been using them in a negligent manner.
Likewise, a new tenant cannot be expected to repair things which have been found to be in an unsatisfactory condition since those things is the responsibility of the landlord or the property owner.
This will include things such as plug sockets, switches and ceiling lights.
It is important to check all of those things and to make absolutely sure that all appliances are in a working condition and that there are no problems whatsoever with those systems.
They should be functioning normally and they should be completely safe to use.
Paying attention to these things will avoid many of the commonly encountered problems as far as tenancy is concerned and this will help to avoid a lot of frustration.
Furthermore, it will help you to prevent that things are charged against your security deposit when you finally move.
Safety and health concerns
When it comes to the safety and the health of your family there can never be any compromise.
This is why this is the most important issues to pay attention to when you engage in the move in inspection.
Important factors are locks which is not working properly, also pay attention to smoke detectors by ensuring that they work as they should and also ensure that all doors are able to close properly.
When these basic precautions are not taken by a new tenant then there is a very real possibility that a financial loss may result and there is also the possibility of personal injury and even death because that property is potentially unsafe.
The reality of the matter is that properly functioning doors and locks are necessary to ensure the safety of your family and they are also necessary to prevent a barrier against criminals.
The move in inspection does not need to be a complicated endeavor as long as tenants are aware of their rights and as long as they ensure that they take all of the necessary steps to ensure that they are properly protected against all anticipated eventualities.
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