Renting a house or an apartment has its ups and downs. Many tenants learn ways to make their lives easier as they go through life and experience various challenges–such as difficult neighbors, cut-throat landlords, or clauses in their lease agreements they didn’t notice. You can avoid a bunch of mistakes by checking out the following list of eight life hacks that will make tenant life a lot smoother. Let’s see what they are.
Make Friends with Your Neighbors from the Start
Having a bad relationship with your neighbors will set the tone of your stay from the get-go. It makes life uncomfortable since you’ll probably be running into each other often. Get on good terms with your neighbors as much as you can (within reason, of course). Having a good relationship with your neighbors is also one of the best security measures because they’ll notify you if anything seems out of place when you’re not around.
Take Time to Go Through Your Lease
Missing something important in your lease can be the difference between an easy and a hard tenant life. Some lease agreements also detail annual expectations, which you need to remind yourself of later.
Little things like what your landlord expects from you as a tenant should be discussed when you sign your lease, but this is not always the case. Comb through your lease and take note of anything that isn’t “standard” so that you don’t run into any unexpected problems later on.
Take Out a Comprehensive Renters Insurance Policy
One of the best decisions you can make as a tenant is to get renters insurance as soon as possible. A good policy will cover those unexpected circumstances that sneak up on tenants when they least expect it, such as property damage, additional living expenses, and even on-property injury. This is one tenant life hack that many neglect, but the monthly premiums are a small price to pay for the convenience and security a policy like this offers.
Create an Emergency Bank Account
A good habit to get into as a tenant is to set aside a small amount of your income each month for emergencies. Open up a new bank account and build up a small savings fund in case something goes wrong and you need cash fast. Besides, if you end up not using your emergency fund over a few years, you’ll have a nice bit of capital to purchase some new furniture for your home.
Keep Detailed Records
All correspondence between you and your landlord (or property agent) should be archived for later reference. Legal matters are always best to avoid if possible, but if you do find yourself in a tricky situation, having everything neatly stored away will make your life so much easier. Emails, agreements, amendments, photos, and complaints should all be kept until six months after you have moved from your rented home.
Save Money By Negotiating Your Annual Lease Increase
Many tenants learn the hard way that each year, they’ll have to pay an increase in their monthly rent. This is often unavoidable but can be alleviated by negotiating with your landlord. Most landlords don’t want to go through the trouble and loss of income that comes with finding a new tenant. If you’re a good tenant who pays their rent on time, they will likely be willing to negotiate your increases to keep you.
Learn About Your Rights as a Tenant
A bunch of problems can be avoided by simply being aware of your tenant rights. The US has certain laws in place to protect renters just like you, so make yourself aware of them by keeping a summary on file. If you find that your rights to privacy, habitation, or non-discrimination are being violated, exercise your knowledge by standing up for yourself.
Save Money with Energy-Saving Solutions
Saving money one way or another is always a good way to make your life easier. If your energy costs are not included in your rent (in other words, you pay for water and lights separately), invest in some energy-saving tools:
- Water meters help you monitor your water usage throughout the month
- Energy-saving LED bulbs drastically reduce your energy costs
- Heating costs can be reduced by purchasing affordable window and door seals
- Power strips allow you to turn off plug points when you’re not using them to charge your devices
Wrapping Up
Don’t add to your life stress by struggling with your home life. If you’re a renter, implement some of these life hacks and keep your life more simple. These small things can make a big difference in your time as a tenant, so if you’re not doing all of them, start implementing some changes starting today.
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