Things You Must Know Before Renting an Apartment in Pekin, Illinois
Renting an apartment for the first time isn’t as difficult as it may seem. It is important to gather the things you need to rent out an apartment. Here is some helpful guidance so that way you are ready to show the landlord anything he/she may ask for and see that you are on top of your game describes the Local Records Office.
Paystubs: you must prove that you are able to afford the rent and the tenants who are most likely approved pay rent that costs 30% or less of their income advises the Local Records Office.
Have 2 or more of your most recent pay stubs. And in case you do direct deposit, you are more than likely still able to find your pay stub online, or you can just ask your boss for a copy also, be sure give the landlord the copy of your paystub; do not give out the original copy.
Bank statements: show your regular paycheck deposits and proves to your landlord you have the money in your account. Print two months’ worth to be on the safe side!
Driver’s license or passport: Bring this with you when you go to fill out an application and the landlord will make a copy of his or her records. A state ID or a passport work too. If you don’t have a government issued ID you will have a hard time renting an apartment.
A recommendation: tells the manager that you were a good tenant. Though usually, most landlords will also accept basic information about your last apartments, ie. the property managers contact information, although, some managers do prefer the letter of recommendation.
Vehicle registration and proof of insurance: When the apartments come with parking space and the landlord needs to know which cards belong to the property fulltime. And when a car appears to abandoned, the manager must know which renter owns it.
Social security number: This number must be provided for the property managers to run a credit check, and see whether or not you are potentially a good tenant. A social secuirty number is important because the landlord is able to check your credit and your previous renting history
Rental History: This is a list of apartments you have lived in during the life of being a renter, including addresses, phone number to the property manager, how long you lived there, amount you paid for rent and why you left.
A lease agreement aka rental agreement can be either written or oral:
Oral lease: usually month-to-month and can end within a 30 days notice;
Written lease: is a written agreement between the landlord and the tenant and include the:
- Rent amount, and how it is paid
- The date of the agreement
- How long the lease is for
- How to renew the lease
- Amount of the security deposit or the move-in fee
- Fees for late rent
- Who is responsible for any repairs
- How the lease should end
- When the landlord could enter the apartment
- Contact information for the landlord
- Any other promises that were made by either the landlord or the tenant
The lease should or rental agreement not include terms that:
- Explain that the landlords not responsible for any damages or injuries to either people or the property caused by the landlord
- Discriminate against anyone
- OR are banned by local laws
- Renting with bad credit
- Bad credit can make things a lot more complicated, though it does not necessarily mean it will automatically disqualify you as a candidate.
When you fill out an application, you will also undergo both a credit and a background check. Other factors –such as applying with a co-signer and being upfront about it will give you better chances and help you seal the deal.
Find a guarantor or a co-signer with good credit to co-sign the rental application with you. In this case, the co-signer is agreeing to cover your payments in the event you default on your rent and provides the landlord the reassurance they need in order to trust your financial situation. Just be sure the monthly payments are at an amount you can comfortably afford.
Be honest as your bad credit is not necessarily a reflection of bad money management, as you may have lost a job, suffered medical problems, or experienced a financial setback that was out of your control. It is better to be upfront with the landlord before he/she even runs your credit. And talk with your landlord about steps you have taken on improving your credit so they see that you are responsible and committed.
Also offering a couple months paid in advanced or a higher security deposit will land you a greater chance of the landlord knowing you won’t skip town.
Security deposit and rental fees
The landlord can make the tenant pay money before moving into the unit and use it pay for repairs or any unpaid rent after the tenant moves out. This is also known as a security deposit and it’s required for renting an apartment in almost all cities in the U.S.
The security deposit is different from a move-in fee. The move-in fee is a non-refundable fee that does not go towards any cost of repairs of unpaid rent.
Schedule a walk-through
A landlord and a tenant should schedule a walk-through before the tenant’s move-in date. The purpose is to ensure that both the landlord and the tenant agree on the condition of the property and /or the unit itself. A walkthrough should also prevent any arguments later on for who is responsible for the condition of the unit.