Questions to ask before renting an apartment

Go through these questions to ask before renting an apartment at the viewing, while you haven't signed or paid anything yet. Fees nobody mentioned and unclear repair duties often turn into disagreements later. Ask while you're there, and save the important answers in writing.

This guide is for people about to rent. The questions are grouped by theme: money, the lease, repairs, building rules and who to contact.

Why surprises show up after you sign

Most surprises come from things nobody mentioned at the viewing:

• The listing shows the rent, not the total. Parking, utilities, building fees or pet rent can add to the monthly cost, and an application fee adds to what you pay upfront.
• Answers are given in passing. The agent says "the owner fixes everything" at the door, and nobody writes it down.
• The lease says something else. A clause on repairs, notice or early exit doesn't match what you were told.
• You don't know who to call. The person who showed the apartment may not be the one who handles repairs.

Usually nobody is hiding anything. People forget, and a viewing is short, so ask and get the important answers in writing.

How to ask so the answers count

A few habits make the answers useful later:

1. Bring your list. Print it or keep it on your phone. Mark the questions that matter most to you, so you don't run out of time on small ones.
2. Know who you're talking to. Ask whether the person showing the apartment is the owner, the property manager or an agent, and who will be your contact after you move in.
3. Ask for important answers in writing. A text or an email saying "rent includes water and trash, parking is $75 a month" gives you a record. You can also ask for it to be added to the lease.
4. Read the lease before you pay. Check that the costs and responsibilities you agreed on are in the lease. If something conflicts, ask about it before you sign and check the local rules.

Many rules on deposits, fees, notice periods and repairs differ by country, state and city. Ask the owner or manager, and check the rules where the property is.

Questions to ask before renting an apartment

Skip the questions that don't apply to the apartment you're seeing.

Money and move-in costs

• What is the monthly rent, and what does it include (water, trash, heating, internet, parking)?
• Which utilities will be in my name, and roughly how much do they usually cost?
• What do I pay before move-in: first month, security deposit, application fee, last month?
• Is the application fee refundable if I'm not approved?
• How is the deposit returned when I move out, and what can be deducted from it?
• Are there other monthly or yearly fees: building fees, pet rent, storage, amenities?
• How do I pay rent, on what day, and is there a late fee or grace period?
• Will I get a receipt for every payment?
• Can the rent go up during the lease, and how much notice do I get?

Our guide on rent receipts explains what each receipt should say and how to ask for one.

The lease

• Can I read the full lease before I pay anything?
• How long is the lease, and what happens when it ends: renewal, month-to-month, a new lease?
• How much notice do I give if I want to leave, and how do I give it?
• What happens if I need to leave early?
• Is subletting or adding a roommate allowed?
• Is renters insurance required?
• Do you need a co-signer or guarantor, and what will they sign?

If you need to leave before the lease ends, our guide on how to break a lease early explains how to give notice and what leaving may cost.

Repairs and maintenance

• Who handles repairs: the owner, a manager or a building super?
• How do I report a repair, and how quickly is someone usually sent?
• Which repairs are mine, and which are the owner's? (Bulbs, filters, clogged drains, appliances.)
• Who do I call for an emergency at night or on a weekend, such as a leak or no heat?
• Have there been recent problems with leaks, pests, heating or the water heater? Were they fixed?
• What repairs or cleaning will be done before I move in, who will do them and by what date? Can you put that in writing?
• Will we do a move-in inspection together, with photos and a signed report?

Our move-in inspection checklist covers what to look at in each room on that day.

Building rules and daily life

• Are pets allowed? Is there a pet deposit or pet rent?
• Can I paint, hang pictures or put up shelves?
• Are there quiet hours, rules on guests or on smoking?
• How do trash, recycling, laundry and mail work?
• Is there parking, and is a space assigned?
• How are packages handled?
• Will anyone else have a key, and how much notice will I get before someone enters?

Who to contact after you move in

• Who is my day-to-day contact, and how do I reach them?
• Which channel should I use for repairs and for formal notices: email, a portal, text?
• How long does it usually take to get a reply?
• Where will my lease and receipts be kept, and can I get copies?

Signs to slow down

Some answers are a reason to pause before you pay:

• You're asked to send money before you've seen the apartment or the lease.
• Nobody can tell you who owns the property or who will handle repairs.
• The person won't put an answer in writing, or the lease contradicts what you were told and nobody will explain why.
• You're pushed to decide on the spot.

In these cases, take a day. Ask to see the lease, ask who the owner is and confirm it where you can. A local tenant advice service can tell you what's normal in your area.

Keep the answers once you've signed

Save the written answers with your lease, your receipts and your move-in report. They're the record you'll come back to when something breaks or when you move out. If you report a repair later, put it in writing too: our guide on how to request repairs from your landlord has a short message you can copy.

Once you have the keys, our moving into an apartment checklist covers the first week: utilities, meter readings, photos, address changes and who to call.

How RentalThread will make it easier

With RentalThread, your lease, your rent receipts and your past repairs will be in one place, next to the property they belong to.

After you move in, you'll report a problem from your phone with photos or a video, and AI will turn your message into a clear request that you review before it's sent. You'll see who is coming to fix it and when, and every repair will keep its own thread with dates. See what's planned for tenants.