Renting a house can be very tricky and irritating. There will be a time in your life when you will have to leave your home and stay away from your parents. It may be for your studies, or you get a job in another state, or you want to live independently. Then you will have to search for a house that is on rent or paying guests. Moving in paying guests offers less flexibility and freedom as compared to the rented apartment/house.
Before moving to a rented house, you should always have a word with the landlord about the rental agreement. A rental agreement is a contract between you(tenant) and the landlord in which the landlord permits you to stay at his place for a while. The agreement may be for a year or you can extend it accordingly. It may be for months. After that period is over, you can renew the contract if you both agree. The rental agreement also states some rules and regulations mentioned by the landlord.
If the landlord enjoys multiple rights does not mean that you do not have rights. You have tenants rights. Not everyone knows about tenant rights. In this blog, we’ll learn about the rights that the tenants have.
Rights of Tenants:
1) Rights to say no to a verbal agreement:
While renting the house, if the landlord pressurizes you for a verbal rental agreement. In that case, you can say no, as you do have a right to say no to that. You can ask the landlord to get a written agreement so that you don’t face any problems in future. If you’ll have a written rental agreement then the landlord won’t be able to kick you out of the house before the specified date.
2) Right to enjoy the property peacefully:
Being a tenant does not mean that you won’t be able to sit peacefully in the house with freedom. Your landlord can’t come and interrupt your personal life just like that. He will have to inform and then visit you. It is the right of the tenant to enjoy the house peacefully. No one has the right to disturb the tenant unnecessarily.
3) Rights not to vacate the house:
During your rental period, the owner can’t just ask you to leave the house before the given or mentioned time. You have a right not to vacate the house till that specified period is not over. The landlord will have to provide you with a month’s notice so that you get to search for the new house.
4) Rights to say no to pay for any additional expenses:
Your tenant rights give you the power to say no to any additional expenses that your landlord is asking you to pay. You just have to pay for the bills and expenses that are mentioned in your agreement. No landlord or tenant has this right to disobey the agreement.
5) Rent rights:
The landlord can’t increase or decrease the rent according to himself before the specified rental agreement period. There is a formula as mentioned by the law to increase the rent every year.
6) Extension of the Rental period:
Your landlord can’t force you to extend the rental period. You can say no if you don’t want to continue with it. If you want to continue with the tenancy then you can both sit and make a new rental agreement regarding the same. If you are not ready you can just end it.
7) Right to get security deposit:
The tenant has the right to receive the security deposit. The landlord can not disagree or refuse to pay you back once after you vacate the home.
8) Right to access the essential utilities:
No landlord has the right to discontinue the essential utility usage such as electricity and water. He can not stop you from using the basic facilities. You have the right to use all the basic facilities available in the house.
Renting a house is not an easy task. You have to face the tantrums of the landlord. You get less freedom and flexibility. But you do own some tenant rights. These rights will help you solve all your doubts before renting a house. This will give you a little more clarity before making your decision on when to rent a property.
Being a tenant does not mean that you will not get to enjoy your home or the landlord will always be intruding in your life because you can say no to all these things. Renting a house is great if you are a student or you want to start living your life independently. You get the freedom to change your lifestyle and mould it accordingly.
If you need help in renting or any home related query contact Hirola Infra. Our agents will reach out to you and help you in solving all your problems.
Thank you!