Are you looking for apartments for rent in Pretoria? Here are some tips that can help empower you as you progress on your journey as a renter.
Know Your Rights
In South Africa, tenants have a very clearly defined set of rights that many renters don’t necessarily know about. Therefore, it’s important that you familiarise yourself with your rights as a tenant to ensure that you get what you pay for and are not unduly burdened with responsibilities that should fall upon the landlord.
For example, tenants have the right to privacy, with landlords not being allowed to enter the property without permission unless in an emergency. Tenants also have a right to occupy a property that’s safe and in reasonably good condition, free from anything that could cause them harm. This means that tenants have the right to request repairs when needed.
In addition, tenants have the right to challenge rent increases that seem unreasonable. Landlords are required to provide proof, if requested, that any rent increase is reasonable and in keeping with the operating costs.
There are many more tenant rights that you should familiarise yourself with in order to empower yourself further.
Read Your Lease Agreement & Document Everything
Before moving into an apartment, thoroughly read through every part of your lease agreement so that you understand exactly what is and is not permitted and to ensure that you are not agreeing to anything unreasonable. It also helps you to make sure that you do not inadvertently fall foul of the contract and land yourself in trouble.
If there are any issues with the lease agreement or if there is anything that you don’t understand, then it is important to raise this with the rental agent or landlord before signing. This will ensure that everybody is on the same page and that any uncertainties have been ironed out.
In addition to a well-drafted and properly understood lease agreement, also make sure to document everything in the apartment before moving in. This includes taking photos of the property to record its condition at the time that you took occupation.
In particular, take photographs of anything that looks damaged so that you are not blamed for it at a later stage. All communications with your landlord or property manager should also be recorded to ensure that any disputes that may arise later on are more easily resolved.
Good Relationships Go A Long Way
When moving into a new apartment, it can be highly beneficial to build a good relationship with your landlord from the start so that your stay is peaceful and mutually beneficial. Building a good relationship with your landlord will, in most cases, ensure that your property is better looked after and that you are able to have more success with negotiations and requests as time goes forward.
To build a good relationship with your landlord, you should communicate openly and promptly with them whenever possible and report maintenance issues right away. Landlords appreciate you letting them know if there’s a problem so that they can fix it before the problem escalates.
The best way to get into your landlord’s good books is to pay your rent and utilities on time and to take care of the property as best you can.
Here at Live Easy, we want our tenants to feel empowered when they enjoy our apartments for rent in Pretoria. Contact us to apply to join our community today!