To be a good tenant, know the rules and stay honest

Want to help ensure a positive relationship between you and the owner or manager of your apartment community? These five steps should do it:

Know the rules: Read, understand and abide by your lease and the apartment community’s rules. Although it may seem overwhelming, it is important to carefully read your lease. Not only does it contain all the important information regarding your rental experience and expectations, it also is legally binding. If there are parts of the lease that are unclear, ask your community manager to clarify. Once you thoroughly understand the lease and what is expected of you as a resident, make sure to abide by your lease.

A mutually beneficial relationship between a resident and owner begins with understanding, agreeing to and following the apartment community rules. These rules and expectations are put in place to keep you and the apartment community safe, comfortable and happy.

Pay and plan for rent: There are more fees associated with renting, such as the application fee and utility fee, than the lease itself. It is advised and sometimes required to have more than a month’s lease up front. Preparing for your lease and the costs associated with it will create a good relationship between you and management. As always, pay your rent on time and discuss with your manager any financial questions or concerns you may have. Try to keep at least one months of expenses in your savings at all times to cover your rent in case of any unexpected expenses such as medical claims or car repairs.

Keep communication constant, open and honest: As mentioned previously, keeping an open line of communication between yourself and management is imperative to create trust. When there is a maintenance issues or financial concern, be honest and transparent about it. Remember that communication is a two-way street. It is important that you respond to your community manager when they reach out first as well.

Take care of your space: Always treat it as if it your own, even if your lease is temporary. Not only should you keep your apartment home clean, but you should also avoid damaging the space. You can avoid unnecessary damage by putting felt bottoms on your furniture, not using harsh chemicals when cleaning and applying temporary adhesive strips to hang items on the wall.

Good residents are even better neighbors: Be aware of your noise especially at night. If you have a pet, keep it properly entertained to avoid it becoming too noisy and distracting to neighbors. And of course, be friendly to your neighbors and the management at your apartment community.

Most of all, a good resident has respect — respect for their space, their neighbors, their apartment community and their community owner.