What tenants should know about the rental agreement
In this article we are going to tell you everything you need to know as a tenant about the rental contract. It is important that you know well how a lease is formed so that you do not get surprises or sign any clauses that could lead to unnecessary expenses.
We are going to see the different parts and what are the most frequent and usual conditions in a rental contract.
About the deposit and the monthly rent
The rent must be paid monthly. The amount that you will have to pay will be agreed with the tenant and will appear in the rental contract. This monthly payment is unavoidable and non-payment of the same you can take to be expelled from the dwelling by the landlord.
In the case of the deposit, it is also mandatory to pay it. In this case we are talking about a single payment that is made at the time of signing the contract. The amount of the bond is equal to one month's rent agreed with the landlord.
This deposit cannot be left as a non-payment of the monthly rent, its function is to be available in case at the time of finalizing the contract it is necessary to make any repair of any damage that the tenant has caused, with respect to the state of the agreed house at the time of the start of the rental. If there is no type of damage to be fixed, the deposit will be returned in full at the end of the contract.
What to know about the duration of the contract?
The duration of the contract will be agreed by the landlord and the tenant and given to the drafting of the lease. By law, five-year contracts are stipulated, seven if the tenant is a legal entity, but a different duration can be agreed.
As a tenant, you have the right to terminate the contract at any time after six months have elapsed since you sign and the rental begins. It does not matter if you have signed for several years, as long as you give thirty days' notice of the departure. After that six month period, of which we have spoken, you can terminate the contract.
Can the rental contract be extended?
If the duration that has been agreed at the time of making the lease is less than five years, the contract will be automatically extended annually until those five years are fulfilled.
As a tenant, you can waive these extensions, notifying the landlord one month in advance.
Inventory
It is very common that when you sign a rental contract, it contains an inventory with the elements that are in the house. The inventory usually includes furniture, appliances and other belongings that are left in the house when the period of the rental contract begins.
It is important to corroborate this inventory, because when the contract ends and we leave the house, we must leave all the elements that were registered in the inventory in the same, in the same conditions of conservation and operation.
Who should pay the supply costs and some other expenses?
To occupy a dwelling in the regime of rent you must take care of the costs generated by the supplies that meet an individual meter. Electricity, water, gas or internet are some of the most common. If the meter is communal, in some buildings the gas or water can be so, the landlord usually takes care of them.
However, it is possible that the landlord includes in the contract, always agreed in advance with the future tenant, some expenses that he would normally pay, such as, for example, the community, cleaning or garbage tax. It is important that you pay attention when signing the contract in case these expenses are included so that you can talk about it and reach an agreement with your possible landlord.
Can I have pets in my rental home?
The subject of pets is a possible reason for conflict between the landlord and the tenant, so it is always important that an agreement is reached between both parties, before the contract is drawn up.
There are some landlords who do not directly let people who have pets rent the house, others do not care and, in other cases, it is the community that prevents animals in the property.
The Lau (Urban Leasing Law) does not specify that putting pets in the house is a reason for canceling the contract, however, the landlord can report the tenant if there is damage to the property or unhealthy or annoying activities.
The best thing you can do in these situations is, talk to the tenant and make clear this point to not take any surprises during your stay in the house to be rent.
Request our services, trust our professionals
As you can see, there are many variants when it comes to making a rental contract. So you do not feel lost when the time comes to hire one housing scheme rental from HOMEWATCH we offer our team of professionals.
Our experts will advise and help you with all the contract procedures so that you do not have any confusion and you can enjoy your rental in the fastest and easiest way.
We will be delighted to help you.