So you’ve finally decided on a place where you would like to live and you’re just about ready to move in to your new place. You may be feeling anxious, excited or just ready to get it over with, so we’ve put together a list of things for you to consider or do when you’re moving in.
Read the lease
The first thing you want to do is review the lease and make copies of it. This is important because the lease will break down what you are responsible for and what the expectations of both parties are in case there are any damages or if you are responsible for paying some of the utility bills, which leads to our next two points.
Do a walk-through of the property and take pictures
On the day you move in, or prior to you moving in, do a walk through of the apartment and try identify any damages. You can hire someone to do an inspection for you, and they can identify any problems, but you should at a bare minimum look for any cosmetic or physical damages. Key areas to look at are walls, windows, kitchen and household appliances, doors, carpet (stains, tears), floors, faucets, furniture etc. If there are any damages or problems with these items, take a picture or record it and let your landlord know since some of these items could prevent you from getting all of your damage deposit back when it’s time for you to move out. If possible, do the walk-through with your landlord present so you are both on the same page.
Record any meter readings
Depending on your lease terms, you may or may not be responsible for paying some utility bills such as gas, electricity or water. If you are, you want to record the meter readings on the day you move in since this will determine how much you are expected to pay when the bills are due.
Make sure you have all the keys and they work
Depending on the building you live in, you may have different keys for different rooms and different areas. Make sure you have all the keys you need and make sure you test them to make sure they work. It’s important to make sure you have duplicate keys and make sure they work too because I’ve had duplicate keys that did not work and had to find out the hard way.
Identify your parking spot
If your apartment has any parking stalls, make sure you identify them and make sure they are clear. We’ve heard stories of people using parking spots as storage areas and not clearing up their stuff when they move out, leaving it all there for the next person to deal with.
Identify any storage areas
Some apartment buildings have secure storage areas where you can store things like bikes, skis, snowboards etc. This is important to note because it saves you the hassle of having to store these items in your apartment and potentially banging and scratching the walls as you move them it in and out. In addition, some of these rooms are heated so they will keep your property in good working condition and secure too since they are locked and monitored by security cameras.
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