Renting a house is a lot trickier than people realize. There are some great landlords out there who will rent you a great place for a good price and do all of the repairs that are needed. But there are also some shady landlords who are just looking to make a quick buck.
They’ll hide all of the problems with the house and charge you extortionate rent, and they won’t fix any of the problems with the house. Once you’ve signed that contract, it can be pretty difficult to get out of and you might have to take them to court which is a huge hassle.
That’s why you need to make sure you avoid the bad landlords and rent a good place from somebody who will maintain it properly. Here’s how to avoid renting from a bad landlord.
Never Deal In Cash
Landlords that are just looking to take your money don’t want you to have any protections and it’s easier for them to get away with illegal activity if there is less of a paper trail. That’s why you should always be worried if they want you to pay deposits and rent in cash.
You should be looking for a landlord that will accept a free rental application and take all of the money by bank deposit rather than in cash. If there isn’t any paperwork involved and you’re just handing over bundles of cash, you’ll struggle to argue your case in the future if you have to take them to court.
Don’t Let Them Rush You
Another big warning sign is a landlord that is trying to rush you. They might tell you that they’ve got loads of other people wanting to rent the property and if you don’t sign for it now, you’ll miss out on it.
If they’re telling you that, it’s probably because they don’t want you to look too closely at the place or consider the price before signing. They just want to get your money before you realize that the property isn’t in good condition. You should never sign for a place without having a second viewing first. There will be things that you didn’t notice the first time around.
Get A Second Opinion
Even if you’ve viewed the property a couple of times, you might miss the signs of potential problems, especially if you’re not that experienced at renting. Consider getting somebody a little older who has lived in a lot of different houses to come with you and look at the place. They’ll be able to spot problems like mold or pests that you might have missed.
Ask Plenty Of Questions
The last thing to do is ask plenty of questions when you’re visiting the property. Ask how old it is, when they bought it and whether they’ve done any work on the place. You should also find out what their role in maintaining the property is because they have a legal obligation to make repairs. If they’re evasive about any of these questions, that’s a big warning sign.
Follow these rules and you can make sure that you don’t get stung by a bad landlord.