Amenity-Related Questions to Ask Your Landlord
Apartment hunting results in an overwhelming amount of information, especially when looking at many apartments. When touring apartments and meeting landlords, make sure to ask them these important amenity-related questions. Every landlord is different and may have different policies about the amenities in the apartment. Some may include all utilities and some may leave all utilities to you.
Find out important information about amenities with these amenity-related questions.
Are utilities included?
When budgeting for an apartment, keep in mind that you should also add an extra $100 for utilities if they are not included. Some renters may get caught off guard when they budget for an apartment that is $550 per month but end up paying around $650 per month with utilities.
Make sure to ask your landlord if any utilities are included in your rent. It may not all be included, but there may be one or two. It’s common for landlords to include water and trash pickup in the rent, but it’s always good to ask and make sure.
How much do utilities cost, on average?
If your rent does not include all utilities, you can ask about how much utilities run each month. This, again, is important for budgeting. Depending on the kinds of heat, air conditioning, and stovetop, it can be more or less expensive. Sometimes the landlord will not have the correct information to this question, so feel free to ask the current tenants how much they pay.
Keep in mind that this price will fluctuate depending on lifestyle and the seasons so there is no exact answer to this question.
Is the heat gas or electric?
You will most likely need to pay utilities separately, so it is important to know if your heating and stovetop are gas or electric. Gas heating tends to be less expensive than electric heat; however, this means that you and your roommates will have to pay two separate bills (electric and gas) throughout the year.
Are pets allowed? If so, are there restrictions?
Pets can be a make or break when finding the perfect apartment. You may have found the perfect apartment for you and your roommates, almost too good to be true, until you ask this question. Some landlords will not allow pets, especially if there is carpet because it leaves too much of a mess or can ruin the property.
If the landlord does allow pets, ask if they have any restrictions about the pet. Some landlords only allow cats. Some landlords will allow dogs under a certain weight or of certain breeds. It is the landlord’s property so they can make the rules. If you have a pet, this should be the first question you ask even before seeing an apartment.
Is there parking?
If you live in the city and you find an apartment with designated parking, you’ve hit the jackpot! Depending on where you live, parking may be commonly available or you have to fight for it. Ask your landlord if the apartment comes with designated parking. If so, how much extra will that cost monthly? Sometimes a parking space can run up to hundreds of dollars a month and other times it can be less than a hundred. It all depends on the location and the landlord.
Are washers and dryers included?
You may find that not all apartments have washers and dryers included with the property. This is common in the city if space is on the smaller side or there is a Laundromat nearby. If there is a washer and dryer included, ask if it is located in the unit itself or if it is in a shared space. If it is in a shared space, you will most likely have to pay for it, which means saving up your quarters. Depending on how much the machines cost to use, it may be something to consider when budgeting as well.
Who is responsible for maintenance?
One of the benefits of being a renter is not having the responsibility of fixing something in the apartment that is broken. Of course, this would most likely only include damages that are not your fault. For example, if your air conditioning is not getting cold enough in the summer, then you can call your landlord to have him fix it or send someone else to fix it.
On rare occasions, a landlord may have the renters be responsible for any maintenance that must be done in the apartment. It is an important question to ask, especially if the apartment is older and does not have newer appliances.
Follow Uloop
Apply to Write for Uloop News
Join the Uloop News TeamDiscuss This Article
More Uloop Campus Life Articles
- Is Group Studying More Effective?
- What You Need to Know About Moving Mid-Semester
- Dos and Don'ts for the Night Before Midterms
- How To Decorate Your Apartment Walls
BU HOUSING LISTINGS
See all BU Housing ListingsBU Housing Listings
WRITE FOR ULOOP
Apply to Write for Uloop NewsGET TOP STORIES DELIVERED WEEKLY
TOP 5 NEWS ARTICLES
TOP BU Campus Life Q&A
BROWSE OTHER COLLEGES
- By CollegeBoston CollegeBoston UniversityBrandeis UniversityHarvard UniversityUniversity of Massachusetts-AmherstMassachusetts Institute of TechnologyNortheastern UniversityTufts UniversityClark UniversityUniversity of Massachusetts-LowellUniversity of Massachusetts-BostonWorcester State CollegeBentley CollegeWheaton CollegeMount Holyoke CollegeLesley UniversityHampshire CollegeSuffolk UniversityWestfield State CollegeUniversity of Massachusetts DartmouthWilliams CollegeAmerican International CollegeAmherst CollegeAnna Maria CollegeAssumption CollegeBabson CollegeBay Path CollegeBecker CollegeBerklee College of MusicBoston Architectural CollegeBridgewater State CollegeCambridge CollegeElms CollegeCollege of the Holy CrossCurry CollegeDean CollegeEastern Nazarene CollegeEmerson CollegeEmmanuel CollegeEndicott CollegeFisher CollegeFitchburg State CollegeFramingham State CollegeGordon CollegeGordon-Conwell Theological SeminaryLasell CollegeMassachusetts College of Art and DesignMassachusetts College of Liberal ArtsMassachusetts College of Pharmacy & Health ScienceMassachusetts Maritime AcademyMerrimack CollegeMount Ida CollegeNew England School of LawNewbury CollegeNichols CollegeRegis CollegeSalem State CollegeSimmons CollegeSmith CollegeSpringfield CollegeStonehill CollegeThe New England Institute of ArtUniversity of Massachusetts Medical School WorcesterWellesley CollegeWentworth Institute of TechnologyWestern New England CollegeWestfield State CollegeWheelock CollegeWorcester Polytechnic InstituteAndover Newton Theological SchoolBenjamin Franklin Institute of TechnologyBerkshire Community College Bristol Community College Bunker Hill Community College Cape Cod Community CollegeGreenfield Community College Massachusetts Bay Community CollegeMassasoit Community College Middlesex Community College (MA)Mount Wachusett Community CollegeNorth Shore Community College Northern Essex Community CollegeQuinsigamond Community College Springfield Technical Community CollegeAilano School of CosmetologyAlexander AcademyAssabet Valley Regional Technical SchoolBancroft School of Massage TherapyBay State School of TechnologyBentley UniversityBlackstone Valley Vocational Regional School DistrictBlue Hills Regional Technical SchoolBoston Baptist CollegeBoston Graduate School of Psychoanalysis IncBranford Hall Career Institute-Springfield CampusCatherine Hinds Institute of EstheticsCharles H McCann Technical SchoolConway School of Landscape DesignCortiva Institute-BostonDiGrigoli School of CosmetologyDiman Regional Technical InstituteEINE IncEmpire Beauty School-BostonEmpire Beauty School-FraminghamEmpire Beauty School-HyannisEmpire Beauty School-LowellEmpire Beauty School-MaldenEpiscopal Divinity SchoolEverest Institute-BrightonEverest Institute-ChelseaFINE Mortuary CollegeFranklin W Olin College of EngineeringGreater Lowell Technical SchoolHallmark Institute of PhotographyHellenic College-Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of TheologyHenris School of Hair DesignHult International Business SchoolITT Technical Institute-NorwoodITT Technical Institute-WilmingtonJolie Hair and Beauty Academy-LudlowJupiter Beauty AcademyLa Baron Hairdressing Academy-BrocktonLa Baron Hairdressing Academy-New BedfordLe Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts-CambridgeLincoln Technical Institute-BrocktonLincoln Technical Institute-SomervilleLowell Academy Hairstyling InstituteMansfield Beauty Schools-QuincyMansfield Beauty Schools-SpringfieldMarinello School of Beauty-NorthamptonMassachusetts General Hospital Dietetic InternshipMassachusetts School of LawMedical Professional InstituteMGH Institute of Health ProfessionsMildred Elley-Pittsfield CampusMillennium Training InstituteMontserrat College of ArtMotoring Technical Training InstituteNational Aviation Academy of New EnglandNational Graduate School of Quality ManagementNew England College of Business and FinanceNew England School of AcupunctureNew England Tractor Trailer Training School of MassachusettsNorth Bennet Street SchoolNorthpoint Bible CollegePope St John XXIII National SeminaryPorter and Chester Institute of CantonPorter and Chester Institute of ChicopeePorter and Chester Institute of WestboroughPorter and Chester Institute of WoburnPortfolio Center - WalthamRob Roy Academy-Fall RiverRob Roy Academy-TauntonSalter College-ChicopeeSalter College-West BoylstonSalter School-New BedfordSchool of the Museum of Fine Arts-BostonShawsheen Valley Regional Vocational Technical SchoolSignature Healthcare Brockton Hospital School of NursingSoutheastern Technical InstituteSouthern Worcester County Regional Voc School DistrictSpa Tech Institute-IpswichSpa Tech Institute-PlymouthThe New England Conservatory of MusicToni & Guy Hairdressing Academy-WorcesterUniversity of Phoenix-MassachusettsUrban College of Boston
- By State
- By City