Questions to Ask When Renting An Apartment
Want to know about Questions to Ask When Renting an Apartment? We’ve prepared a list of questions that you must ask yourself or the landlord.
Toronto’s huge name market is great for owners, but not so great for those of us renting. Vacancy rates in Toronto are so low that owners have a great deal of power, which means they can be a lot more choosy when it comes to picking up renters and rising rent prices.
To help you identify the perfect location, we’ve started discussing and asked tenants in Toronto what questions are important to ask while looking for rentals in Toronto. Our list includes all the bases that the landlord will protect before signing a lease for an apartment, condo or house in Toronto.
We know that no one is really going to ask some questions. The aim is for you to search our super list here and pick questions that are important to your case or that you don’t know the answer to. From there, you can build your own guided list of important questions to ask before you sign your next contract!
Questions to Ask When Renting an Apartment About Neighborhood:
- What’s the kind of nightlife here?
- What are the best bars and restaurants in the vicinity?
- Are there any theatres nearby?
- What kind of facilities are there in the neighborhood, medical, dental and otherwise?
- What are the key features of the neighborhood? Are they mostly teachers, friends, newcomers?
- What is the state of growth in the area, is there a lot of construction planned for the future?
- Where’s the closest dog park?
- Where’s the closest hospital to you?
- What are the levels of theft, arson, and assault? Where’s the nearest police station?
- Where’s the nearest library to you?
Articles About Toronto Neighbourhood and Things to Do:
- Some of the Best Vegan Restaurants in Toronto
- The Best 5 Neighborhoods to Stay in Toronto
- Best Neighborhoods in Toronto for Families
- Some of the Best Restaurants in Yorkville
- Top 5 Italian Restaurants Downtown Toronto
- Best Restaurants in Toronto Financial District
Questions to Ask When Renting an Apartment About Location
- What’s the closest major junction to the apartment?
- How far is the closest grocery store from here?
- How long will it take to get to the DVP / Gardiner?
- Is there a lot of noise pollution in this location?
- Is there a green space in the vicinity?
- What’s the place walking score?
- How long will it take to get to Highway 401?
- Are there emergency services in the vicinity of the apartment? (Maybe you don’t want to listen to sirens all night long) Who’s the city councilor for this area?
- How close is the apartment to the stop of the TTC?
- What are the distinguishing features of the neighborhoods surrounding this one?
Questions to Ask When Renting an Apartment About Rent and Lease
- Are the facilities included in the rental price?
- If not, what kind of utility costs would you expect throughout the year?
- Do you need to pay your first and last month’s rent?
- What are the approved forms of payment for rent (post-dated cheques, e-transfer)?
- What’s a late rent strategy for buildings?
- Will I need someone who can co-sign with me?
- Are there any reservations or non-refundable fees?
- What’s it going to take to get out of the lease? Will you please sublet?
- Are you in a position to extend the lease when it expires?
- Are you allowed to paint the walls, huh?
- What are the rules for Airbnb?
- How many of the key copies can you have?
- What are the policies of the guest buildings?
- Is pets allowed?
Building Amenities
- Is it air conditioning?
- Does the building have a wifi connexion? Ethernet networks, huh?
- Is there a laundry room in suite?
- If not, do you have a laundry room or do you need to use a laundry mat?
- Which equipment do you have in the kitchen? An oven, huh? A dishwasher, huh?
- How old are the appliances in the kitchen?
- Is there a deck here?
- Is the BBQ allowed on the balcony?
- What is the room in the closet (regular or walk-in)?
- Is the BBQ allowed on the balcony?
- What is the room in the closet (regular or walk-in)?
- Is there a visitor parking place? Is that free?
- Does the house have a daycare centre on site? How much does that cost?
- Is the price of the parking included in the rent?
- Is there a gym in the building? And how well prepared is that? Is it open 24 hours a day?
