Living in an apartment means that you don’t actually own your space and the number of improvements that you can make is limited. While this might be a bit annoying when you want to paint the walls a fun color, not having to pay for major improvements and repairs in most cases is a welcome benefit of renting for most people.
The problem is that not all landlords take the time to properly inspect your apartment on a regular basis. In some cases, landlords may even stop thinking too much about your apartment when you’ve lived there for a while. After all, you’re a reliable tenant, so they’ll focus their efforts on those that don’t fall into that category.
For you though, this could mean some major issues if you’re not diligent. Use this guide to learn more about how you can safeguard your apartment and keep your landlord on their toes when it comes to maintenance.
Ask for Inspections
Most tenants don’t want to call much attention to their apartments out of fear of some unknown violation. However, unless you’re a technician or plumber, you need somebody trained inspecting your space from time to time.
Ask for an inspection every six months if you don’t get one. Faulty plumbing or electrical could be a major problem for you, not just the landlord.
Check Your Fire Escape
The fire escape is your route out in an emergency, but you probably don’t think about it much. Make sure you’re safe by checking the area and guaranteeing that the home fire escape ladder is maintained and ready for use, even if you hope you never have to use it.
Mention Problems Early
Complaining to your landlord probably isn’t something that you want to do on a regular basis. The fact is that if you don’t speak up, your landlord won’t notice problems until it’s too late if they’re not actively looking for them.
Part of being a good tenant is letting your landlord know when there’s a problem. That’s why you should tell them about that slow elevator, leaking faucet or strange face lurking near the outdoor gate.
If you need to, put complaints and requests in writing along with making a verbal recommendation. Doing this can make your landlord take action, but in most cases, they’ll simply be happy they were told about an issue before it becomes a big, expensive problem.
