Free-Rentals Vacation Rentals

Credit reports are used by rental owners and property managers to evaluate prospective renters. Unfortunately, credit reports may contain errors. According to a national consumer organization, one in four credit reports contain errors serious enough to cause someone to be denied approval for a loan or possibly the opportunity to rent an apartment.
      In response to consumer complaints about credit reporting errors, a new federal law called the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act of 2003 (FACTA) was enacted.
Beginning December 1, this new law requires that the three nationwide credit reporting agencies establish a centralized source that will enable a free annual consumer credit file disclosure to consumers upon their request.
      To obtain your free report, contact any of these credit reporting agencies: Equifax, Experian or TransUnion. Requests may be made by phone, mail or the Internet.
      You need to understand that your credit history is not the only factor considered during the rental application process. Your income and references from your previous rental owner or manager are important, too. However, you should review your credit reports periodically to ensure they are accurate.

With little or less than perfect credit history, you may not qualify for the rental of your choice. Here are two ways to convince a rental owner or manager to rent to you. Offer to pay a higher security deposit or find someone with good credit to serve as a co-signer on the rental agreement. Not every owner or manager will say yes, but some will.

 Dont waste money applying for a rental if you do not meet the minimum application requirements. The typical application screening fee is $30 per adult. Before paying this fee, request the screening criteria from the rental owner or manager. Although not required by law, owners should put the screening criteria in writing to avoid confusion.

 If you are a first-time renter, dont forget to include the cost of utilities when planning your rent budget. Most apartments do not charge for water, sewer and trash pickup, while renters pay the cost of gas and electricity. If you rent a house or duplex, you should expect to pay for all utilities.
          When choosing a place to live, ask your property manager for an estimate of the monthly cost of utilities. Check to see if the rental unit has dual-pane windows and energy-efficient appliances, including refrigerators, washers and dryers, and the heating and air conditioning units.
          In particular, the cost of central heating and air conditioning can add up. Your monthly bill will depend upon the size of your rental unit, the energy efficiency of the heating and air conditioning equipment, the insulation of walls and windows, and, of course, how much you use these systems.

Rental owners and managers who do a thorough job of screening prospective renters always require one or more credit reports. When you sign the typical rental application, you give them permission to obtain such reports.
         There are three major credit reporting companies: Experian, Equifax and TransUnion. Sometimes reports from all three are used to evaluate your application.
         If your rental application is denied due to insufficient or poor credit, you have the right to request a copy of the report from the credit reporting company. The rental owner or manager is required to provide you with the name, address and phone number of every company that issued a report. Usually this information is listed on the form you may receive when your rental application is denied.
         There is no charge for obtaining the report if your request is received by phone or mail within 60 days of the denial. If you think your denial was based on inaccurate or incomplete information or you have never seen your own credit report, then it is good idea to obtain your own.
         Almost everyone has one or two blemishes on their credit report, and you dont need perfect credit to rent at most places. However, if you have serious credit problems, discuss the criteria used by the rental owner or manager to evaluate applicants before you pay the application fee. You may be wasting your money if you dont meet their minimum standards.

When you move into a rental home, pay attention to its level of cleanliness. You will be expected to leave the premises in the same condition when you eventually move out,
          According to state law, the property manager or rental owner may deduct from your security deposit the cost of cleaning necessary to return the unit to the same level of cleanliness it was when you moved in.
          Renters usually clean obvious items, such as the countertops, oven, walls, floors and carpets. However, they forget many others that must be cleaned before the next renter moves in.
          Here is a list of the most often overlooked items that should be cleaned when you move out:

• Wipe any dust and dirt from inside all cabinets and cupboards.
• Clean inside and around the refrigerator.
• Clean the grease and dust from the hood above the stove or range.
• Wipe the shelves and vacuum the floors inside all closets.
• Wash all windows and windowsills.
• Dust all mini-blinds.
• Empty the dishwasher of any items and run it through a complete cycle.
• Replace any burnt-out light bulbs.
• Clean all mirrors and wipe them dry to avoid water spotting.
• Wipe off dirt on and around all doorknobs.
• Clean on and around all light switches.

When you leave a rental home in this condition, the owner or manager probably does not have to hire anyone to do additional cleaning. Your efforts will minimize or completely eliminate any deductions from your security deposit.

Before you accept the keys to your new rental home, ask the property manager or rental owner whether the door locks have been changed. They should be concerned about your safety and have taken the precaution of changing the locks on all doors that provide access to the rental unit.
          If former residents or their guests have a key, they could use it to enter your unit. The potential liability to the property owner or manager if that happens should be enough incentive for them to change the locks.
          Changing doors locks is not difficult or too expensive. Some owners and managers purchase extra sets of door locks and change the locks themselves. Others use a locksmith to re-key all the locks. Re-keying involves changing only the key mechanism instead of replacing the entire lock, so that a different key is needed to open the door. Locksmiths typically charge less than $100 to perform this service.
          Renters may change or re-key the door locks, but you should contact the owner or manager in advance. Some rental agreements prohibit renters from changing locks without prior approval, but property owners and managers should think twice before denying such a request. If you change the locks, give a new key to your property manager or owner to allow them access to the unit in case of an emergency.

When you move out of a rental home, you want to receive a refund of your security deposit as soon as possible. Within 21 calendar days of when you move out, the property manager or owner must send you a written statement explaining each specific item deducted from your security deposit and a check for any remaining balance. Be sure to provide the manager or owner with an address to mail your security deposit so this important piece of mail does not get delayed or go astray.
         If you are moving into temporary housing, such as staying with a friend or relative, you may not know your new permanent address. Go ahead and provide the address of a local friend or relative who agrees to collect your mail in the meanwhile.
         Notify the postal service of your forwarding address as well. In addition to your security deposit statement, you probably have other important pieces of mail coming as a result of your move, such as closing bills from the utility company.
         You can pick up a change of address form at your local post office. For faster and easier service, you can change your address using the United States Postal Service web site on the Internet. Simply go online at www.usps.com and click on €œChange Address€? to access this service.

The typical rental arrangement is a month-to-month agreement. However, some renters and rental owners prefer a lease for a fixed length of time, such as six months or one year. Leases offer several advantages for renters. Your rent cannot be raised during the term of the lease. You cannot be asked to move out unless you fail to pay the rent or violate another provision of the lease. When a manager has trouble finding or keeping renters, you may receive a free month of rent for signing a lease. Despite the positives, you need to weigh one significant negative €“ you are liable for the rent until the end of the lease, even if you dont live there anymore. This obligation can pose a problem if something changes in your life. What happens when your company transfers your job to another city? What if you and your roommate end your relationship? Or one of your parents becomes ill and you need to move closer to their home? If you must €œbreak€? or end the lease early, notify your rental manager immediately and in writing. Once notified, the manager is obligated to minimize your potential financial loss by finding a new renter as soon as possible. Your liability is limited paying the rent until a new renter moves in as well as any reasonable advertising costs. Taking the potential cost of this liability into consideration, you may be able to negotiate a reasonable €œearly termination payment€? that ends your liability regardless of when a new renter moves in. The typical termination payment is an amount equal to two months rent, which covers the usual cost of advertising the vacant rental, finding another qualified renter, and allowing for two to four weeks before the new renter moves in. Be sure to that any agreement is put in writing and signed by you and the manager. Fulfilling your lease obligations will prevent financial damage to the rental owner, ensure a good rental reference for yourself, and protect your credit rating.

Before installing that bookshelf or closet system, check your rental agreement. Most include a clause prohibiting alterations or improvements of the unit unless the owner or manager first provides their written consent. Without this permission and depending on the modification, it could result in a reduction from the security deposit after move-out. Your modification request might be denied. Then again it might not. If it could be done easily and could enhance the unit, the owner or manger might accept.