What Bills Do You Have to Pay in an Apartment? 19 Essentials
People wondering, “What bills do you have to pay in an apartment” can get concrete answers here. We’ll go through some of the most common apartment budget costs you’ll encounter in the rental process, from one-time to routine ones. Let’s look into them, one by one, below.
What Bills Do You Have to Pay in an Apartment?: Main Takeaways
- Some one-time costs you have to pay in an apartment budget include application fees, admin fees, moving costs, security deposit, cleaning deposit, utility deposit and the pet deposit (if you’re bringing along a pet).
- Other routine costs for your apartment budget include: the rent, electricity, water, gas, phone and internet, parking, pet rent, laundry, property maintenance, renters insurance, luxury amenities, and possibly rent increases.
Table of Contents
One-Time Bills You Have to Pay in an Apartment
Here, our Northern Virginia property managers will delve into the bills you have to pay in an apartment on a one-time basis, from upfront costs to yearly ones.
Application Fee
Application fees allow your landlord or property manager to pay for application processing costs. In this process, they’ll need to look into your credit history, rental history, income, and other facets of your background.
Speaking of which, they’ll have to run a thorough background check to ensure you do not have a recent criminal record or history of evictions.
Average cost: $30-$75
Admin or Holding Fee
Admin fees reserve your unit in the time between your approval and the lease signing period. They show that you plan to sign the lease and officially become a tenant. Furthermore, they cover your landlord’s lost tenant search time if you end up having to back out of your tenancy.
As an additional note, some landlords will credit the admin fee towards your first month’s rent. Still, some won’t, so you should check for your landlord’s policy.
Average cost: $50-$200
Moving Fees
Many people forget moving costs in their apartment budget, but it’s definitely worth including. They can vary based on several factors, like if you decide to have professionals help you or do it yourself.
Then, if you do end up hiring professional movers, your expenses will differ depending on your move’s distance, how heavy your items are, and any other services you might end up needing. All in all, you should crunch these numbers and factor them into your apartment budget.
Average cost: $40-$80 an hour
Security Deposit
One of the most common bills you have to pay in an apartment budget is the security deposit. Security deposits are a set sum of money that the landlord holds throughout the lease in case any damages, unpaid bills, or general lease violations occur.
Essentially, it offers them security in case they need to pay for any mishaps that occur during the lease. As long as you obey your lease terms and pay the rent on time, you should get your security deposit back at the end of the lease.
Average cost: There is no average cost for this because each month has its own laws on how much landlords can charge. As such, you should directly ask your landlord how much they require.
Cleaning Deposit
Some rental properties have cleaning deposits. With this, landlords can have money secured in case the tenant leaves the property dirty. They can use the cleaning deposit funds to hire professional cleaning services. If you keep your apartment sufficiently clean, you likely can have it returned at the end of the lease.
Average Cost: $150 or $500
Utility Deposit
Some landlords may request you send a deposit to cover any possible unpaid utility bills. In particular, this may be especially common for rental properties that bundle utility costs in the rental payment. Again, these can be refunded if you pay all relevant bills on time.
Average Price: Often depends on your credit history.
Pet Deposit
If your apartment allows for pets and you have one, your landlord may request an additional pet deposit. The amount can vary depending on how many pets you have, how big they are, and other landlord requirements.
Note that people with service animals or emotional support animals are exempt from typical rental pet policies. More specifically, they are not required to pay these fees or have restrictions around pet ownership. So, if you have one, all you have to do is prepare your paperwork to get everything all set to go.
Average cost: $200-$500
Routine Costs to Add to Your Apartment Budget
Here are some bills you have to pay in an apartment regularly, most times monthly or yearly. They go as follows:
Monthly Rent
It goes without saying, but first and foremost, you’ll have to pay your rent. If you don’t pay it properly, you could face late fees, legal issues, or even eviction. So, this should be your first priority in your apartment budget.
Average cost: This varies widely based on your location and other factors.
Electricity Bill
Your electricity bill is another one of the biggest bills you have to pay in an apartment.
Your bill amount will be based on how much electricity you use. Since electricity powers everything in your home, from the lights to cooking appliances, and your phone, it all adds up quickly. As such, you must make space for such costs.
Furthermore, you may want to make your practices as energy-efficient as possible to reduce your bill’s space in your apartment budget.
Average cost: $50 to $300 per month
Water
Like your electricity bill, your water bill amount will depend on how much water you use, your billing structure, and where you live. Because it’s so immensely varied, you must check your area and apartment plan’s situation before adding it to your apartment budget.
Furthermore, some areas will mete out water fees in a quarterly sum, not monthly. If this is the case, you should prepare money for this schedule.
Average cost: $50-$150 per month
Gas
This part only matters if you use gas in your rental, like for heating, cooking, or other uses. If you do use it, your bill will change depending on your location, gas provider, and how you’re using the gas. In general, though, gas costs can be:
Average cost: $60-65 per month
Phone and Internet
Everyone needs access to the internet to find vital information, like rent payment portals. As with the other costs in this article, your internet bill will be shaped by your internet provider and chosen monthly payment plan. Generally, though, costs can range from:
Average cost: $50-$200 (for a phone and internet bundle)
Parking
If your apartment has private parking, that luxury may come at a price. Private parking spots typically have fees. What’s more, those fees can be even higher if you live in a densely populated area. So, be sure to be ready for whatever is on the table.
Average costs: $50-$200 a month
Pet Rent
For renters who have pets, you may find you have to pay a fee for your fur babies. Typically, these are monthly fees that you pay with the usual rent. These may seem a bit daunting, but the reward of having your animal family members with you is priceless.
Average Cost: $25-$50
Laundry
Renters without laundry appliances will need to look elsewhere for laundry services, such as your building’s laundry room or laundromat. If this is the case for you, prepare for the following fees in your apartment budget:
Average costs: $3-$5 per load
Property Maintenance
In general, landlords are on the hook for repairs, higher-level maintenance, and replacements.
However, tenants do have to take care of smaller matters. For example, you need to handle the trash, replace the lightbulbs, and keep the floors clean. Furthermore, some issues may pop up unexpectedly. So, you should keep this in mind in terms of the bills you have to pay in an apartment.
Also, you must make sure that you don’t damage or break anything in the unit. Otherwise, you may be liable for hefty fixing fees.
Average costs: While not an average, per se, we recommend you set aside $50-$100 a month for miscellaneous costs that could occur.
Renters Insurance
Some landlords require that you buy renters insurance as one of the bills you have to pay in an apartment. This form of insurance can protect you in the event of legal issues or damages. Because of that, even if it’s optional, you may still want to consider getting it.
Average cost: $10-$30
Luxury Amenities
Besides the usual necessities, your landlord may also have some bonus amenities. For example, they may provide pools, gyms, community theaters, or other fun additions. If you plan to take advantage of these bonuses, they may come with fees.
Because there are countless kinds of amenities available, it’s not really possible to pin down an average cost for them. Instead, you should directly ask your landlord what they offer and how much those offerings cost.
Rent Increases
Rental rates can have gradual increases over time, which is something to consider for your long-term apartment budget.
To explain further, your landlord may increase your rent if you renew your lease after the initial term ends. So, your landlord’s rent increase policies and plans should be among the key questions you ask before renting.
Get a Better Rental for Your Apartment Budget With BMG!
Some of the top bills you have to pay in an apartment include one-time fees, like security deposits and admin fees, and recurring ones, such as electricity and water. By keeping these basics in mind, you can set up an apartment budget that starts your new stage in life on the right foot.
If you want housing that meets your apartment budget, we can help. We have a comprehensive rental listing database that can be narrowed down by your desired price range.
On the other hand, if you’re a landlord, we can support you, too. We have comprehensive property management services that handle legal compliance, repairs and maintenance, marketing, general tenant customer service, and more. Contact us today to simplify your rental experience!
