7 things tenants should know

Before you sign a rental agreement know what you’re getting yourself into

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IT’S not that easy to rent these days. Your credit record will probably be checked to ensure you’re able to fulfil your monthly financial responsibilities. So before you apply, you need to ensure your finances can handle the rental amount. These seven facts about renting can help you be ready for the move.

1 LIKELY EXPENSES

Your expenses are more than just your rent. You should plan for the following too:

A deposit equal to one to two months’ rent (the contract will specify the deposit amount)

The first month’s rent in advance

You must be able to comfortably afford your rent while still having enough to cover your living expenses

Electricity and municipal rates and taxes (if it’s not included in the rent)

You might have to pay extra for parking in a complex

Building insurance usually isn’t the tenant’s responsibility in a complex, but you’re responsible for insuring your home contents

Garden maintenance expenses.

Don’t just make the calculations in your head to come up with an estimate of your monthly expenses. Sit down with a pen and paper, or open an Excel sheet and write down what your monthly expenses were for the past year or six months.

2 WHAT TO LOOK AT WHEN INSPECTING A PROPERTY

Before you move in, you and the owner or agent will inspect the property together. You’ll be paying rent, so you’re allowed to scrutinise every nook and cranny. Any existing issues must be stipulated in the contract so you can’t be held responsible for them when you move out.

There’s a second inspection when you move out and any damages and repair work can be deducted from your deposit. Check for the following and take pictures as evidence: Mould Mice or other pests Cracks in the wall Broken cupboards, lights, windows, tiles or mirrors

Broken pumps or solar panels heating and cooling systems Leaking pipes or taps Municipal refuse bin Condition of appliances such as stoves (if applicable) State of the electric wiring. While you’re there, see if you can hear if the neighbours are noisy, find out how good your internet coverage is and ask about crime in the area.

3 CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS

The contract must include the following:

A start and end date to the rental period

The rental amount and any other expenses payable by the tenant The list of existing damages The calculation of a penalty if you terminate the contract

The amount or percentage of annual rent increase should you choose to extend the contract

How much the deposit is and when it’s payable

The tenant and owner’s respective responsibilities. Tenants are, for example, usually responsible for general maintenance and fixing things they broke (if you broke a window or a doorknob, for instance), as well as general maintenance of the house and garden. This doesn’t include wear and tear.

The owner is responsible for maintenance to keep the property inhabitable and is usually responsible for electricity and plumbing issues. This also includes maintaining the property’s structure such as filling in cracks in the wall and replacing broken roof tiles.

4 IF YOU WANT TO TERMINATE THE CONTRACT

You may terminate a rental agreement sooner, but you must give 20 working days’ written notice. You might be liable for a cancellation penalty. This usually applies if the owner fails to find another tenant within your notice period and if the cancellation penalty is stipulated in the rental contract.

5 IF THE OWNER SELLS THE PROPERTY WHILE YOU’RE RENTING

You don’t have to move out immediately. The legal principle that applies is “rent comes before buy”. This means that even if the property is sold, the tenant has the right to stay for the duration of the rental contract.

6 DEDUCTIONS FROM THE DEPOSIT

Your deposit, including interest earned, must be paid back at the end of the agreement. The owner may, however, deduct from the deposit outstanding rent and the cost of any repairs to damage you may have caused. Legally, the property must be in the same condition it was when you moved in.

Wear and tear and renovations may not be taken from the deposit. Before a tenant moves out, the owner (or owner’s agent) and tenant must inspect the property together.

7 BEWARE OF SCAMMERS

Swindlers place ads for a property that doesn’t exist, or which isn’t theirs. Never pay a deposit if you haven’t viewed the property or if there’s no contract. Scammers often promise to drop off the keys as soon as you pay the deposit (or even just a “deposit for the keys”), but then they disappear. ❑