How to Spot a Good Landlord
Whether you’re moving to a new community, or looking for a new place in a familiar city, one of your first tasks will be finding a place to live. If you’re renting, picking a property is difficult enough on its own; but to complicate matters, you’ll also have to look for a landlord that can be trusted to facilitate a good renter’s experience for you.
It’s hard to guarantee a good landlord experience until you’ve occupied a property they own. There are some things, however, that you can look for up-front to see if your landlord is a good one.
The following are a few evidences of a good landlord.
Is the property located in a neighborhood that reflects your values (Safety? Diversity? Proximity to things you enjoy?) Does it reflect a comparable value to other properties in the area?
What is the condition of the house while taking a walk through the interior? Does the property appear to have been taken care of? Are the appliances updated? Does the property have gas forced air with central air conditioning, or electric baseboard? Electric is generally more expensive to operate; factor that into the monthly cost of the property.
Can the landlord give you some indication of the utility costs, particularly during the winter when the heat costs are the highest? Is the house well-insulated?
Does the lease specify the responsibility of the renter as it relates to repairs? How quickly does the landlord respond to repair requests? Is that written into any formal policy?
How is the rent submitted, and what constitutes a late penalty? Some landlords have a grace period of 2 days without assessing a late charge; others want payment on a specific day of the month, with no grace for deviation.
What are the requirements for a security deposit? Usually, these are equal to the monthly rent fee. Most good landlords have a reputation of returning the security deposit within a short period after the lease is terminated. Most landlords will require a minimum of a one year lease; and they will also specify how long before terminating the lease the renter is required to notify the landlord (typically 30 or 60 days).
A good landlord will have a procedure for checking references of tenants. When I encounter a prospective renter, I ask the former landlord: (1) is the prospective renter current on their rent? (2) Did the renter take care of your property; or would you consider renting to this person again? A negative response to either question will cause a good landlord to not rent to the prospective renter.
A good landlord will develop a relationship with renters. For me, that includes personally picking up the rent on a monthly basis, listening to their circumstances so I know how to care for them. They may be going through a difficult time, layoff, cancer, family member that has committed suicide, divorce, etc. In those situations, empathetic landlords can be a listening ear, and offer a prayer if appropriate. Other landlords approach this in different ways, either initially (with a get-to-know session, or a conversation at the beginning of the renting relationship), or ongoing check-ins.
As always, do your best to do ongoing research about landlords, neighborhoods, and rent prices in the area you’re renting; negotiate rent if possible, and don’t jump at the first property you see until you compare with others in the area.
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Terry Munday served for 20 years as the Vice President for Advancement for Indiana Wesleyan University, and continues to consult with faith-based organizations for fundraising and development, also renovating and managing many rental properties around Grant County.