Moving Out Guide: All You Need To Know Before Renting A New Property

Moving out of your parents’ house can be exciting. This is the ultimate sign which shows that indeed you’re really becoming an adult. But underlying that exciting feeling, you might also feel anxious, thrown out of the blue, and not even know where to start. There will be a lot of new obligations and responsibilities that you have to do. Even more when it comes to renting a new place which you will call your home.

Renting a new property means that you will have new responsibilities, as well as the rights regarding the new house. You may not know what you’re entitled to, and through this guideline, we will help you solve this matter and explain all the things that you need to know!

Why are tenant rights and obligations important?

Before signing the contract and starting to rent a house, you must know in advance about the rights and obligations that you will get or need to pay as a tenant. This will help you navigate your way as a tenant, and ensure that you will be able to avoid problems that can occur in the future due to the renting problems. You also do not want to get on the bad side of anyone, especially your landlord.

What are the tenant rights?

As a tenant who rents your landlord’s property, you basically will have 2 kinds of rights –which are:

Living in the unit according to the time of the agreement

You will have the right to stay in the house that you have paid for in a timely manner that you and the landlord have agreed to before. This will usually be stated on the contract agreement, thus you will need to pay attention to it. Within the specified rental period, your landlord has no right to evict you for any reason. Nor will they have any right to sell the house as long as you still have the right to live and use the property.

Keep in mind that this condition only applied if you did not violate the rental agreement to begin with. If you do, then the landlord can have another say on this matter.

Get comfort, peace, and security

There are many landlords who ignore the comfort of their tenant –where in actuality comfort, peace and security are the very basic rights that you as a tenant will have. This means that you are entitled to a property unity that is safe and comfortable, with facilities that are still functioning properly. Don’t hesitate to complain to the landlord, if you find something that makes you feel uncomfortable. If anything in your house needs to be repaired (due to natural reasons), you should contact your landlord and ask them to fix it.

What are the tenant obligations?

When renting a house, you will not only have a right that the landlord should follow. You will also have several obligations that must be fulfilled, in order for you and your landlord to be able to create a mutualistic relationship.

Paying rent on time

Paying rent on time according to the agreed agreement is the first and foremost obligation that you must fulfill as a tenant. Without paying rent, don’t expect you to get the rights and enjoy the facilities of the rented house. Rent should indeed be paid as soon as possible because the landlord will also need your renting costs for property maintenance and operations. Thus no matter what, keep in mind that paying your rent on time is very important.

Using properties according to their designation

Using the property according to its designation is also an obligation that the tenant must comply with. If you rent your house for a private residence, then you should do so –and never use it for a shop or business place. If you want to, you should seek out the landlord agreement first. Doing so without discussing it with your landlord, is a form of violation of the rental agreement.

Keep the property clean

Comfort and cleanliness should not only be your right, but also your responsibility as a tenant. If you demand comfort from the landlord, you are also obliged to do the same. After your rental period is over and you choose to move out to a new property, you should make sure that you do a post tenancy cleaning.

Maintain the property

Ensuring the rental property is well maintained is the obligation of the tenant. Unless affected by a natural disaster, any damage that occurs in the rental housing is entirely your responsibility. If you rent a house in good condition, you must also return it in good condition.

Regarding the penalty for rental damage, you should also discuss it with the landlord. Before signing the contract, make sure that all rules and limits for compensation in case the property is damaged are written on the contract. 

These are the rights and obligations of a tenant that you should know of. Most of the time, many tenants do not even know that they have the right to fulfill, and obligation to do. This can cause hassle and even conflict in the future. To avoid this, you should also have a clear written rental contract that will be used as a guide during the period where you live in the rented unit.