What You Should Really Ask the Landlord

Moving sucks. No doubt about it. If you are one of the randomes who loves packing your life into boxes, breaking half the things you own, and permanently straining your back you should start a little biz and help a girl out.

Besides moving physical things there is the added headache of actually finding the new place which you can only hope has heat, and the biggest headache of all…meeting the new landlord… the roommate you never wanted.

Good landlords are like polar bears in bikinis…far and few in between. And the majority seem to be something out of the Twilight Zone. Talking to you landlord who had a problem with working door knobs.

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From the one who thought fixing drain issues with duct tape was acceptable to the one who “took a new prescription” right before the house showing, a mere 4 years of landlord living and you start to get the picture.

When shopping for new housing get your best federal investigator pants on and get to work.

Here are a few of the real questions you should for sure be asking your (potential) landlord.

1. What type of people live in this area? This is meant to lead you to a better understanding of the chances you are moving into a building of serial killers, drug dealers, or both.

2. Bed bugs? Ohio is awesome at bed bugs, better safe than sorry.

3. Is your cleaning crew the real deal? If there is one friend to make it is with the janitor of the apartment building. Never make enemies with maintenance.

4. What happens when we move out? Gotta break up sometime. This avoids the surprise departing fees that magically appear leading to no security deposit for you.

5. How often should we expect to hear from/communicate with you? Love those landlords who pop up after 6 months of hibernation to let you know there has been a mold issue in the building for the past year.

6. Hash out the $$ on day one. No mind games. Know exactly what everyone is responsible for before signing your life away. “No I was not aware I had to pay for your broken cabinets” 

7. Crime. The majority “can’t tell you” for legal reasons, but asking will still force some semblance of a vague answer.

Basically when it comes to renting a new place all you can really do is hope the next one is better than the last.

-RV