Whether you choose to live off post for the schools, spouse employment opportunities or just to get away from work, your landlord can have a personal and dramatic impact on your housing experience.
A positive, productive relationship with your new landlord or property manager starts with effective communication. Get it right from the start by interviewing a potential landlord or property manager with these basic questions.
Establish Current status
Make sure that the availability of the home or apartment works with your intended arrival/move in date.
- Is it currently occupied?
- When can I move in?
Establish financial terms
All of the financial details should be laid out clearly, up front and available in writing.
- What is the rent and rent due date?
- What deposits are required?
- What payment methods are offered? ( The ability to pay via allotment or online billpay can be a tremendous asset if you are sent TDY for more than 4 weeks)
- What are the penalties for late payment?
- What repairs/upkeep are at my expense and what is covered by the landlord/property manager?
- Is there a pet deposit? Refundable? Non-Refundable?
Utilities and Services
It is important to understand what costs are associated with a potential home. A responsible landlord should be able to give you a solid estimate of all expenses, including utilities.
- Are any utilities included?
- Which utilities am I responsible for?
A good property manager or landlord should dispense helpful information. An indicator would be if they voluntarily provide the following information:
- List of utility companies for activation of services
- How trash removal handled
- What the community rules regarding quiet hours are ? Ditto Parties and overnight guests
Move-In/Move-out
Your property manager/landlord should be able to clearly outline the procedures for move in and move out inspections.
- Who will do the inspections? (this is the especially important to establish if the landlord is not local)
Day to Day Management
- Is there a local contact/manager?
- Is there a 24-hour number for maintenance emergencies? How fast is the response to maintenance problems?
- What modifications am I allowed to make? (Painting, wall papering, installing shelves, etc.)?
We want to know:
What questions do wish you had asked a potential landlord before you moved in?
I think it's also important for potential tenants to pay attention for red flags. It must feel like that should be obvious, but many times we ignore the voice inside that says "this doesn't feel right." If PMs are flakey and don't follow up on items they say they will BEFORE you are a tenant, that is a clue of how they will be after the fact. Give it a 3 strikes rule – everyone has bad days and issues arise. That's my two cents.
Absolutely!
Recommend a rating scheme bee developed and available for the military family to rate their landlord as well we they rental property.
Take pictures of EVERYTHING. Close up and 'whole room' shots. Keep them (thumb drive or where ever), and when it's time to move out, use them to protect yourself from being charged for damage. Also, check each states tenant laws for when a deposit is to be returned. Here in Alabama if it is not returned 35 days after final closeout (giving keys back) you are owed double your deposit JUST for it being late. These penalties are to protect tenants from unscrupulous landlords delaying your returned deposit. The tenant can't just say the deposit was late, there has to be proof, but check each state.