Questions for renters, landlords and roommates

If the landlord runs a credit check on you, what will it show?

Better to hear it from them now than from the landlord next week. An old debt explained without drama can sometimes be planned around with a co-signer or a larger deposit, if the landlord offers that and local rules allow it. A surprise they knew about and kept quiet is the real problem.

From: Questions to Ask Potential Roommates

When something breaks, who calls the landlord and who pays?

Small repairs get ignored for months when it is nobody's job. Agree who reports faults and how you split anything the landlord will not cover, including the shared items like a vacuum or a router.

From: Questions to Ask Before Moving in With Roommates

What was the last repair in this unit, and how long did it take?

This turns a promise about responsiveness into a checkable fact. A landlord who can name the job and the timeline is telling you how they operate. Vagueness, or a claim that nothing has ever needed fixing, is worth checking with a current tenant.

From: Questions to Ask Before Moving Into an Apartment

Are you bringing anything big, a fridge, a printer, a rug? Should we split what we buy?

Practical, and it saves money, since most first-year rooms end up with two of everything and space for neither. Sorting it by text in July also shows you how they handle a shared decision while nothing is at stake yet.

From: Questions to Ask a Potential College Roommate

When will my renewal offer arrive, and is the rent on it negotiable?

A manager sometimes has room on a renewal, more so for a resident who pays on time and asks well before the notice deadline. While you are there, ask what a longer or a shorter term would cost.

From: Questions to Ask an Apartment Complex

Do you mind if I run the shower and the kitchen tap for a minute?

Asking first is polite and rarely refused. Time how long the hot water takes to arrive and watch how quickly the basin empties. Then find out whether it comes from a tank in the unit or a shared boiler, and whether anyone has complained of it running out on weekday mornings.

From: Questions to Ask When Viewing Apartments