Things to Remember Before Renting a Room

Whether you are renting the room for a week, few months or even years, making the right choice is very important and there is a lot to take into consideration. Finding a room that is in your budget is a challenge itself, but in case you want to share the room, finding people that you are comfortable around and that are easy to live with can be even a bigger challenge. Not to mention how hard all that is if you are going to live in the city you’ve never been before or if you are moving to another country where you don’t speak the language as well as you would like to.

To make your life and room hunting adventure a bit easier, here are some tips and things to remember before renting a room:

Do Initial Research

More than often, people who are renting out rooms list them for a bigger price rate then what is normal for that particular area hoping to entice renters that are unfamiliar with prices in the area to think that are getting a great deal when in fact it’s quite opposite. So be sure to check out prices of rooms in the area where you are moving to and stay clear of the trap by making sure you are getting a good rate.

Private or Shared rooms

Before renting a room, you need to decide whether you want a private room or you want to share it with one or more people. Of course, having a room share with other people usually is cheaper, but it comes with a price of lack of privacy and alone time. On the other hand, sharing a room with people who you like and feel comfortable around can be fun and you’ll never feel lonely or bored. With a private room you’ll all the privacy you need, and if that’s something that is crucial for your living arrangement, then it may be worth the extra cost.

Pet Considerations

If you have a pet, then you need to make sure that pets are allowed in the room you want to rent. In case your room is a part of a bigger property, such as a house, ensure what right will your pet have within the rest of the home, can your pet go outside of your room with you supervision or not. You need to be clear on all the pet rules before moving in in order to avoid any potential problems later on.

Furnishing Plans

Before renting a room you need to consider if the room is furnished or not. In case you already own furniture, then unfurnished room would be a better choice for you and they are also generally cheaper. But if you not planning to stay in rented room for a longer time, then buying or even having the trouble of moving your own furniture may not be worth it. Consider all options, compare the cost of both scenarios and then make the decision that will work the best for you.

Actions to Take before renting the room

One very important thing to do before renting the room is to visit that room and make sure that you like what you see and that you are in agreement with everything. If you have a pet, consider taking him along to see how your pet will like the new place. Also, if you have decided to go for a shared room, it’s a good idea to meet them before moving in to see whether you will like living with them or not and see if your lifestyles will match. Also, make sure to talk with your potential new roommates about any changes in the apartment you’d like to make and see how they feel about it. Also, you should see if there is a chance of negotiating the price of the room in order to get the best deal possible and save some money.

Legal Requirements

Renting a room may seem to you like a casual agreement, but it’s not, it is a business deal and you need to make sure to sign a lease before moving in to protect yourself. Before signing, review the contract carefully as well as municipality renting regulations and make sure that your landlord follows all of what you agree on, such as giving you enough notice before eviction and how he will use your security deposit. There are legal rules you need to follow as well, such as giving proper notice before you want to leave the room and not make any damage.

There are a lot of things to consider before renting a room, and you need to do all of them to make sure you are making a good decision. Check everything upfront and make sure you are satisfied with all the agreements made. Good luck in your room hunting!