Moving In – Part II

A tenant should know his / her legal rights when moving in to a new rental apartment or unit. He / she should also be aware that housing discrimination is illegal. Any andlord who treats a rental applicant differently on the basis of race, colour, religion, national origin, sex, age, handicap, marital status, sexual orientation, or family status can be held accountable for such discriminatory behaviour. For more information on the subject, your local human rights commission or tenants’ union can be contacted.

And, if one is going to be sharing the place with a or more roommates, then it is a good idea to have a written agreement explicitly detailing how rent and utilities will be split, including house rules if any, relating to pets, smoking, drug use, late hours, overnight guests, etc.

Landlords on their part, should make themselves cognisant with all rules and regulations before drafting a lease, and must take all necessary precautions, such as, creening tenants and conducting background checks on prospective tenants, including ensuring all promises in the rental lease are adhered to, as their insurance for a litigation free landlord / tenant relationship. A simple click of the mouse and any landlord or property manager can visit www.e-renter.com for tenant screening and background check services. www.e-renter.com, the best tenant screening agency in America!