Real Estate Tips |9 min read

17 Critical Questions to Ask When Looking at an Apartment

Last updated September 19, 2024

The biggest questions to ask when looking at an apartment could make the difference between a rental dream and a nightmare. After all, for every great rental out there, we’ve all heard (or lived!) absolute horror stories. To avoid disaster, you should screen your rental by asking the questions below.

Questions to Ask When Looking at an Apartment: Main Takeaways

In terms of what questions to ask when renting an apartment, you should ask basic questions such as how long the lease term is and which appliances the rental has.
Some financial-related questions to ask when looking at an apartment are which payment types are accepted, which costs are included (or not) in your rent, etc.
Other questions to ask when getting an apartment are what the tenant screening process is like, how lease renewals work, and other inquiries.

Basic Questions to Ask When Looking at an Apartment

Regarding what questions to ask when renting an apartment, there are some fundamental ones no renter should forget. Here are the most bare-bones ones Northern Virginia property management companies suggest you address:

How Much Is the Rent and Security Deposit?

It goes without saying, but one of the first questions to ask when looking at an apartment is what the rental rate is. The rental rate doesn’t just matter in and of itself, but for how it fits into your overall budget. After all, you’ll be juggling the rent with other costs of living, like utilities, groceries, gas, and other costs. So, crunch the numbers and make sure your wallet has room for the requested rent.

Also, each landlord might have a different security deposit amount. While you likely will get this money back after the lease’s end (as we’ll discuss later), you should be sure you can afford the initial payment.

When Is the Rent Due and How Can I Pay It?

Every landlord and property manager has their own policies when it comes to rent due dates and payment methods. So, you should confirm the landlord’s specific rules for this.

Also, you need to know the fees for paying the rent late or missing payments. This way, you can know what to expect if any unexpected life events happen.

How Long Is the Lease Term?

Needless to say, you need to find out how long you’d be committed to the lease if you signed it.

To give you an idea, most leases last 12 months. Other landlords have alternatives like 6-month or month-to-month leases. After you find out the landlord’s policies, you can see if they work for you as is or try to negotiate them.

Which Amenities Are Included?

Every renter has amenities that can make or break their experience. That said, you should think carefully about what is non-negotiable in your stay. For example, if you need your apartment to have laundry services, that should be a core criterion that guides you.

Also, be sure you consider all the features you might find yourself needing down the road, not just the very first ones that immediately pop up in your head.

Then, you can garner from the landlord if your rental unit would have these must-haves or if you should look elsewhere.

Which Appliances Does the Rental Have?

Many apartments offer a stove, microwave, refrigerator, and other basics. On the other hand, some landlords don’t, in which case you’d need to buy those appliances yourself. Instead of footing the bill for pricey pieces, make sure your rental is equipped with the necessary appliances.

Is There Sufficient Available Parking?

Something as subjective as parking quality isn’t exactly something you can ask the landlord about. However, you should inspect it yourself when you visit the property.

If your apartment lacks assigned parking, parking garages, large parking lots, or generally sufficient parking altogether, it will cause endless headaches. This may be a valid reason to look elsewhere.

Fee-Related Questions You Should Remember

Here are some slightly more intensive financial questions to ask when getting an apartment.

What’s Included (Or Not) In Your Rent?

Try to clarify which amenities you will financially cover vs. what the rent will cover. For instance, a few key features to discuss include:

Utilities
Parking
Storage
Lawn Care
Laundry services (if applicable)

As a general rule, if there’s a feature of using the apartment that costs money to maintain, you should verify in advance whether you’d be paying for it.

Is the Security Deposit Refundable?

Typically, landlords require you to put down what’s often called a security deposit. Essentially, these deposits are rainy-day funds the landlord may use if renters violate their lease terms.

In most cases, you can get this back when the lease term is over. Given you keep your rental in good shape, pay the rent consistently, and don’t break your lease terms, you should easily get your deposit back. That said, the landlord might have different requirements and policies. As such, you should consider this when considering what questions to ask when renting an apartment.

Which Payment Types Do You Accept?

Each landlord offers different payment methods, so ensure they work for you.

Preferably, the landlord will let you pay digitally, not just in person. Also, they hopefully will allow for a variety of payment methods, like bank transfers, credit cards, and debit cards.

Obviously, a landlord’s offerings will impact how convenient your payment experience is. More significantly, though, it will signal whether the landlord’s general practices are in line with the times.

In addition, you should ask the landlord if they require you to pay extra fees when using certain types of payments. This way, you can weigh whether you find those fees acceptable or not.

As an aside, you should never choose a landlord who only accepts cash. Under-the-table payments can go into dangerous territory quickly.

Rental Policy Questions to Ask When Getting an Apartment

Here, we’ll focus on questions to ask when getting an apartment related to the general rental process, like guests and pets.

How Does the Landlord Handle Maintenance Requests?

Some landlords and property managers provide emergency maintenance around the clock. However, this isn’t the case for all rentals.

So, as you’re planning questions to ask when getting an apartment, think about how the landlord handles maintenance requests, and how quickly.

Their reaction can serve as a test for whether they’d be a bad landlord overall or not. After all, the landlord’s most basic, bare minimum duty is to maintain a habitable home for tenants. If they can’t do this, who knows how they’ll respond to other issues that arise?

What is the Screening Process Like?

Generally, landlords and property managers use a standard screening process to make sure their tenant meets their rental eligibility.

The tenant screening can make or break your chances of rental approval. So, common tenant screening standards should be one of the core questions you ask when looking at an apartment. To give you a glimpse, this process typically includes:

Income verification
A background check
A rental history check
A credit check

If they undergo a credit check, you should make sure it doesn’t harm your credit score.

Does the Landlord Have Any Rules About Guests?

Sometimes, landlords have policies about bringing guests or visitors to your rental. For instance, some landlords limit the number of days guests stay overnight, as guests who stay too long become unauthorized tenants.

As such, if you plan to bring guests over, the landlord’s guest policies should be one of your top questions to ask when getting an apartment.

What Happens if I Break the Lease Early?

Most people don’t plan on breaking a lease before the term ends, but life happens. Just in case, ask the landlord whether they permit early lease termination and what the penalties for doing so are. By doing this, you can be sure you’re ready for whatever consequences might happen.

Which Ways Can I Decorate or Otherwise Alter the Unit?

As you move into a new, unfamiliar place, it’s only natural to want to turn your apartment into a cozy home. Accordingly, ask the landlord what their policies are regarding decorations, lighting, and other additions you might bring to the table. This way, you can avoid incurring fees and buying décor you can’t even use.

Are Pets Allowed?

Many people love their furry friends. Still, not all rentals allow them. Due to that, you should make sure your rental would allow pets before signing the dotted lease line. You can ask the following inquiries:

Do You Allow Pets?
What Types of Pets Do You Allow?
Does Your Property Have Any Breed Restrictions?
What Paperwork Do You Require? (E.G.: vaccination records, vet history, etc.)
Do You Require an Extra Pet Deposit?
Do I Need to Pay Additional Pet Rent?
If I Want to Add a Pet Later in the Lease, What Would the Process Look Like?

Do You Require Renters Insurance?

Nowadays, many landlords and property managers require renters get renter’s insurance. Renter’s insurance covers most legal liabilities or property damage renters could incur during their stay. Even between landlords who want this insurance, each may want different requirements.

Because of this, another one of the primary questions to ask when looking at an apartment should be the details of these requirements. More specifically, ask the landlord if they need you to get this insurance, what their requirements are, and what the (typically inexpensive) costs could be.

How Do Lease Renewals Work?

You will need to understand the landlord’s lease renewal policy to plan for the future. So, keep this in mind as one of the key questions to ask when getting an apartment. In general, some common lease renewal policies are:

No renewals allowed
Renewals occur annually
Renewals happen on a month-to-month basis

Before committing to anything, make sure their plans are what you want.

Moreover, keep in mind that many rental policies require 2-5% rental rate increases upon lease renewals. This can be especially applicable if you plan to stay for years on end, not just for a shorter time.

Get Your Ideal Home with BMG

You can make sure your rental meets your unique needs by knowing exactly what questions to ask when renting an apartment. By including amenities, lease policies, fees, and other vital factors on your checklist, you can attain the renting experience you deserve.

No matter which features you want (or don’t!), we may just have the perfect rental for you. In fact, we have an online database of current listings. In this expansive catalog, you can find listings of all price ranges, amenities, lease renewal options, and other options.

Or, if you’re a landlord who wants your rental to have everything tenants want, we can help. We can handle:

Marketing
Developing rental improvement strategies that don’t break the bank
24/7 tenant customer service communications and problem resolution
Property maintenance and repairs
Lease term creation and compliance
Tenant screening
Security deposit and rent collection
And more…