When a person starts looking for rental housing, attention is usually focused on the size of the room, location, rent cost, and local amenities. Once a house is liked, people often start preparing to move in by making a prepayment. However, real problems can begin several days after moving in, when minor and major malfunctions start to appear. This could be a dripping faucet, a faulty water pump, or non-working electrical switches and sockets.
Ignoring such issues can lead to serious expenses. Therefore, it is crucial to independently check a number of aspects before placing belongings in a rented home. This will not only help understand the actual condition of the property but also allow you to demand that the landlord fix defects if they are found in advance. If a person moves without checking these details, they may face significant financial losses later. Below is a list of things that must be checked before moving in.
It is not enough to just turn on the tap to ensure there is water in the house. You need to check all taps in the kitchen, bathroom, and on the balcony. You should assess the water pressure, ensure the flow is not weak, and check the pipes for leaks. You should also activate the toilet cistern and inspect the space under the sink. If water accumulates or drips there, this information must be immediately reported to the landlord. A small leak can turn into a big problem, and a leak can damage cabinets or walls.
Discovering non-working sockets after belongings have already been placed can cause significant difficulties. Therefore, before moving in, you should turn on all switches in the room. You can use a mobile charger or another small electronic device to test the sockets. It is also necessary to check the operation of all electrical appliances, such as fans, lamps, hoods, and water heaters. If there is a spark in any socket, the switch is loose, or the panel is hot, this should not be ignored; such defects must be fixed before occupancy.
Defects in the bathroom are often not visible at first glance. To check this, you need to pour water on the floor and see where it drains—whether it goes correctly into the drain or accumulates in the corner. You should also inspect the walls and ceiling for yellow or black spots, peeling paint, or mold. These signs may indicate old moisture problems. If dampness is discovered during the viewing of the house, you should take photos and notify the landlord. This will facilitate proof that the problem existed initially. However, if this is done several days after moving in, the landlord may blame the tenant.
Doors and windows must be checked not only visually but also by opening and closing them. You should ensure that the locks do not stick, the handles are sturdy, and the windows close tightly. If the house has insect screens installed, you need to check them for holes. A minor breakage might seem insignificant now, but later costs for replacing locks, handles, or screens may fall on the tenant.
The condition of the kitchen cannot be ignored. First and foremost, you need to check the space under the sink for accumulated water. By turning on the tap, you need to run water into the sink and ensure the drainage works properly. If the house has an extractor hood, gas pipes, or other appliances, they should also be turned on. You need to open the kitchen cabinet doors and check if the wood has swollen or if anything inside is damaged.
You cannot rely solely on the appearance of the paint to consider a wall in a rented house perfect. Special attention should be paid to corners, areas around windows, and the ceiling. If the paint is peeling, the wall is bulging, or there is a patch of a different color, this may indicate a past moisture problem. This problem can worsen during the rainy season. It is recommended to inspect the house during the day, using a phone flashlight, to check even the corners of the walls, as slight dampness may be unnoticed under normal daylight.
This is one of the most important steps before moving in. You must photograph the readings on the electricity and water meters. If the landlord provided furniture, such as a refrigerator, air conditioner, water heater, fan, bed, or wardrobe, it should also be photographed and video recorded. Any existing damage or marks on the walls, floor, doors, or furniture must also be documented. Keeping these pictures will help avoid disputes over compensation for damages upon vacating the premises.
Instead of remembering all these points individually, the simplest way is to record a short video of the house's condition upon departure. The video should capture the walls, floor, doors, windows, electrical panels, bathroom, kitchen, and existing furniture in each room. Simultaneously, you should send the landlord photos of damaged elements.
