Those of us who have lived in a rental community have discovered that it isn’t always easy. Tenants right out of college, especially, may not have learned the ins and outs of living peacefully in an apartment community yet, and it’s easy for old habits to make you unpopular.
To keep this from happening to you, we’ve composed a list of some habits that may make you a pariah in your building, unit or community - and what you can do to avoid them.
Pay rent/utilities/bills late…or not at all.
Paying rent late, or forgetting a payment, with ignite the wrath of your landlord - which could result in you getting kicked out or have a negative impact on your credit score. This is also a good way to alienate your roommate, depending on your rent payment arrangement.
One easy way to avoid this is to pay the rent online with WilliamPaid. That way, you can set up Auto-pay, and we’ll help you make sure the rent is never late.
Eat your roommate’s food.
There might not be anything worse than dreaming of that leftover mac & cheese sitting in the refrigerator, only to come home and discover that your roommate scarfed it down as a late night snack. Unless you have a pre-arranged agreement to share food, the general guidelines are to keep your hands off your roommate’s food.
Blast your music/party every night.
We’re down for having fun, but your neighbors may not take as kindly to your music blasting late into the night, particularly if it’s a work night or there are small children in the building.
Tip: Get to know your neighbors and find out what their habits are. This may not be as big of a problem if you live in a building with all college students, but communities with professionals or families may expect you to be quieter. There may also be noise rules written into your lease agreement.
If you have noisy neighbors, here’s what you can do about it.
Trash your place.
When it comes time to move out, if your landlord discovers that you’ve damaged the property, neglected to clean properly, or left belongings in there, you may not only lose money on your security deposit but your landlord most likely won’t give you a good recommendation when looking for a new place. If you’re not sure what qualifies as “damage” to your landlord, click here.
Be irresponsible with your pets.
Many property managers won’t allow pets, and there’s a good reason why. If you do not properly care for/train your pet, it could incur damage to the unit and disrupt the neighbors. Your fellow residents don’t want to find urine spots in the stairway, your landlord doesn’t want to find chew marks on the walls, and your roommate doesn’t want to deal with a messy litterbox.
However, a well-trained pet with a respectful owner can be a great addition to a rental! Thinking about getting a pet? Here’s some tips.
Avoid these pitfalls to achieve harmonious living and make your rental experience a positive one. Have tips on what NOT to do while renting? Share them in the comments!
