Before Entering into a Rental Agreement
- Inspect the Unit Before Signing the Lease
This includes inspecting the utilities-the appliances, the electrical system, the plumbing, heating and lights, and locks and windows. If there are problems, you may request that the landlord sign the list of repairs that need to be taken care of before you, the tenant, sign the lease.
- Application Fees
Some landlords require tenants to pay an application fee. This fee is used to cover the cost of checking the tenant's references. You should ask if there is a fee, and if so the amount of the fee.
- Security Deposits
Landlords have the right to require tenants to pay a security deposit. This is money paid by the tenant and held by the landlord to pay for any damage that occurs when the tenant is renting, or it can supplement any unpaid rent or any money that the tenant owes the landlord under some agreement. The landlord sets the amount of the security deposit so it is important to ask how much the security deposit will be. At the end of the lease, the landlord must return the deposit to the tenant with interest. However, the landlord has the right to keep the amount necessary to repair any damage done to the unit by the tenant.
- The Lease
The terms of any rental agreement are stated in the lease, which can be either a signed, written document, or an oral understanding, depending on the number of residential units in the building. If there are 12 or more residential units in the building, a written lease is required to rent one of those units.
There are two kinds of leases:
- The periodic tenancy lease-this is generally a month-to-month, automatic renewal rental agreement.
- The definite term lese-a rental agreement specifying a definite rental period, generally six months or a year.
- Utilities
The lease should state who is responsible for paying the utility bills. If it is not clear in the lease, ask the landlord before signing the lease.
- Maintenance
According to Minnesota law the landlord is responsible to make sure that the rental unit is:
- Fit to live in.
- Kept in reasonable repair.
- Kept in compliance with state and local health and housing codes.
- www.tenant.net/Other_Areas/Minnesota/hb2.html