ABA Family Legal Guide

Renting Residential Property

Renting Basics

Choosing a Landlord

How can tenants choose a good landlord?

The first thing to do is check out the apartment. Look in every room and closet, open every door, drawer, and window, operate every appliance provided, and take your time. It is better to find problems now than after you move in. You should ask for repairs or improvements as a condition of moving in. Good landlords will put their promises in writing.

The second thing to do is read the lease. Most tenants never read a lease before signing it. There is no such thing as a standard lease. Landlords can and do write their own unique leases. You should ask for changes before you sign. Especially, you should ask for lower rent, more services, and better terms. Negotiating does not mean accepting whatever is offered.

The third thing to do is to check out the landlord. This is not as hard as it may seem. Much of the landlord's history is a public record. Has the city cited the landlord for code violations? Have other tenants sued the landlord? Is the landlord known by tenants' unions, consumer services organizations, or other regulatory bodies? Prospective tenants can also learn a lot about a landlord by asking other tenants in the building about how they are treated.