12 Questions Every Tenant Should Ask Their Landlord Before Signing a Lease, According to Scott McGillivray

Before signing anything make sure you know the length of time you’re committing to. Is it one year? Two? Or is it a short-term lease that goes from month to month? Lease rules can vary by province, so make sure you understand what you’re committing to before you sign on the dotted line. Breaking a lease can often result in penalties, and you’d hate to endure those simply out of ignorance.

Not all apartments include utilities (water, hydro, etc.), and some include partial utilities, so you’ll definitely want to confirm what you need to pay for before signing a lease. If they’re included as part of the rent, great. If not, you’ll need to budget accordingly. There are a lot of factors that go into determining the cost, so be sure to ask the question.

Most people assume that rent is due on the first of the month, but it might not be the case in your building. Be sure to find out when your payment has to be in so that you don’t incur any late fees. And on that same note, find out what methods of payment they accept and if there’s a policy for dealing with late payments.

Given that you’ve just gone through the process and are ready to sign a lease, you might think this question is pointless. It’s not. It’s important to understand the building’s application and screening processes because this will determine who your neighbours will be. A tough screening process indicates that building management is cautious about who they allow in.

Whether you have a car or not, parking is a big deal. In many places parking spots are at a premium so ideally you want one included. If you don’t have a car and don’t need visitor parking, speak to your landlord about whether or not you can negotiate a discount on the rent in exchange for giving it up.

There’s a lot of confusion about whether or not landlords can prohibit pets in a building. The answer is: it’s complicated. There are all sorts of laws concerning the types of animals allowed in residential units and the number of animals allowed. Check your local laws and speak to your landlord ahead of time so that you don’t run into any issues after the fact.

When you live in a rental it’s usually up to the landlord to deal with any maintenance and repair issues. Before signing the lease ask about what happens should there be an emergency repair needed. In a perfect world you want someone who will provide 24/7 maintenance and come right away, but it isn’t always the case.

Can you imagine moving into a new apartment only to find out that the building is undergoing major renovations? Or something you plan on using – such as a deck – is being removed? While upgrades are great, it can be an inconvenience. Before signing a lease find out what’s planned for the building so that you can make an informed decision.

As a renter there are a lot of things you can do to personalize a space and make it your own. However you should always check with your landlord before making any changes. In theory you shouldn’t have any issues when it comes to things like painting or switching out light fixtures, but ask for a list of things you can and can’t do before you sign the lease.

Required notice varies from province to province, but as a general rule a landlord should give at least 24 hours written notice before entering your apartment. Also keep in mind that they can only enter for specific reasons. Get this in writing in the lease before you sign.

It’s possible that something may change over the period of the lease and you may want to break it. You could change jobs, move in with someone, or have some other situation that requires you to move. Find out what the process for breaking the lease is and what penalties you will incur.

Rules about subleasing vary from apartment to apartment, so if you think there’s a chance you may want to do it, make sure you know the rules. Some apartments will want to run a background or credit check on the person subletting, while others have no requirements but will hold the original tenant fully accountable for any problems.