Steps: 1. Talk to your roomie-to-be before starting the application process. Find out if there's anything in your future roommate's rental history that would throw a wrench into getting approval for both of you.
2. Tell the landlord or property manager exactly how many people will be living in the property. Each of you will have to fill out a rental application.
3. Make sure each of you has all your rental history information together. This includes previous addresses, as well as phone numbers of previous landlords.
4. Fill out the paperwork completely and honestly.
5. Ask if the lease can be worded so that rental responsibilities between you and your roommate are divided. This is a legal way to protect yourself if you meet your half of the rent but your roommate doesn't. (In other words, you don't want to be responsible for the difference.)
Warnings:
Be sure the names of everyone living in the rental property appear on the lease. This ensures that everyone is equally responsible for paying rent and meeting any other obligations set forth in the lease.
Moving Your Pet
Getting through the emotional stress of moving is difficult enough for adults and children. But what about pets, a species with whom we can't even level? Pet owners are often baffled by their pets' behavior during and after a move. Sometimes it's a personality change, a regression in housebreaking habits or a sudden unexplained illness. Even if you don't notice something that dramatic, there's no question that your faithful companion is feeling stress. How do you move your pet and keep the strain to an absolute minimum -- both to yourself and your beloved pet?
Is That Apartment Hazardous to Your Health?
When you sign a lease committing yourself to a unit in an apartment complex or building, you're agreeing to live in close quarters with strangers. You're also making the assumption that your building will be properly managed and maintained. That includes such factors as air quality and adequate pest control. As a tenant, you have rights, of course, but some of the most serious threats to your health -- such as carbon monoxide -- are ones you can't even see or smell.
Does The Landlord Have To Clean The Apartment Before I Move In?
QUESTION:What can I do about a landlord who promised a clean and newly painted apartment before we moved in, but didn't deliver? We have moved in because we had nowhere else to go, but I am concerned about our children's health and the total well-being of our family. Can I report the unhealthy living conditions to the health department? Please let me know of my legal rights or how to go about this problem in a dignified manner.
