Expenses Your Landlord Should Be Covering
A lot of tenants don’t know expenses their landlord should be covering. In most cases, you see a tenant paying for expenses that are clearly the responsibility of a landlord.
When it comes to figuring out what you should pay for, the first place to look is in your rental agreement. Unfortunately, if this is your first time renting a house, you may not be able to figure out exactly what you need to pay for and what your landlord should be covering. Here at Los Angeles Property Management Group, we always help tenants figure out expenses their landlord should be covering and the ones they need to pay.
In this article, you will learn about the expenses your landlord should be covering. Keep on reading to find out more:
- Expenses For Normal Wear and Tear
It is only natural for the property to begin to get worn out after a period of time. Stuff like carpets can’t last forever. After you have used them for a period of time, they will begin to get worn and even torn. Most landlords won’t mind paying for them. When you have such a problem, make sure you call your landlord’s attention. However, don’t expect your landlord to pay for damages done by you or by your pet.
- Costs For Some Repairs
Housing law in every state requires that your landlord must keep the property in a habitable condition. This means that basic things such as toilet, heat, electricity, and plumbing must be in good working condition. The building is also expected to be structurally sound. Make sure you have all these facilities available before you move in. When any of them get damaged while you are occupying the property, your landlord is required to fix it unless you caused the damaged. In some cases, your landlord can ask you to fix it and reimburse you later.
- Maintenance Costs
A good landlord needs to practice preventive maintenance. For instance, he needs to have things like air conditioner, furnace, and water heater inspected every season to ensure they are in good working condition. Your landlord should be paying for these repairs and it needs to be stated in your rental agreement. Make sure you check your rental agreement before paying for any repair work.
- Pest Control Costs
There is a strong debate about who should pay the exterminators. Like we mentioned above, the landlord is required to keep the property in a habitable condition. Thus, he is expected to pay for pest control unless the infestation is caused by the tenant behavior or action. Take, for instance, you will pay the exterminators if your dog’s fleas get in the carpet.
- Lawn Care Costs
There is no clear law about this. Thus, it has always been debated. In most cases, your landlord will pass on the responsibility of caring for the lawn to you especially when you are renting a single-family home. Similarly, most multi-unit property owners choose to handle the lawn care themselves. They do this because they don’t want to face an expensive and inconvenient lawsuit when you harm yourself from using the lawn mower. You should read your rental agreement to know what it says about lawn care costs.
- Pre-Move-In Cleaning
Nowadays, most new tenants expect the landlord to clean the apartment before they arrive. However, you should note that it is not landlord-tenant law for the landlord to professionally clean the apartment before a new tenant arrives. As a new tenant, you can negotiate or persuade your landlord to have the property professionally cleaned before your arrival.
- Cosmetic Upgrades
The landlord is expected to pay for cosmetic upgrades such as the painting of the exterior part of the property. There are also other upgrades landlord pay for. Usually, most landlords avoid allowing tenants to do upgrades or improvements for a number of reasons which include liability. Before you do any upgrade, you need to talk to your landlord to ensure it is not his responsibility. In most cases, your landlord will recommend a vendor to you if he does not want to handle the upgrade.
Final Words
It is important that you always go through your rental agreement thoroughly before signing it. You need to know that your landlord is paying for what falls under his duties by law and not passing them to you. If you are confused, you can always talk to us at Los Angeles Property Management Group.
