You have found this seemingly great apartment in your budget, and you are ready to move in. But wait before you start packing those boxes and bags and load up the moving truck. Have you inspected the apartment well enough to be sure that it’s the right one for you? After all, you wouldn’t want to jump headfirst into the new lease and waste your security deposit in the process. Ensuring that you are doing your due diligence ensures that there aren’t any significant issues with the apartment further down the line.
So, to help you with the inspection before you move into a rented apartment, here is a checklist for you to follow.
- Check all the windows and doors.
The doors need to have all the working handles so that it quickly closes and opens. Keep in mind to double-check all the doors that lead to the exterior to ensure that the locks are working just how they should. You should be informed about any additional locking mechanism of the doors.
Next up, move on to checking the windows to see no broken glass or cracks there. Check for signs of condensation between the panes, which suggests the presence of a hole that has to be fixed. Moreover, you should not have any problem with opening and locking each of the windows. If there are screens, blinds, or any other kind of window treatments, make sure they are in top-notch conditions.
- Inspect the flooring and walls.
If the place has carpet, check for rips, stains, or any other sign of damage. The apartments with wooden floors should not have water damage and scratches, and tiles must not be chipped or have signs of a mold infestation in the grout. To be honest, it is okay to have a bit of wear and tear if it is not a brand new apartment. However, you should get such damages documented beforehand so that you’re not blamed for them later on.
The same thing goes for the walls and ceilings of the apartments for rent in Doha. Take a good look at the ceilings and walls during the apartment inspection to check for signs of mold, water damage, stains, cracks, and chips.
- Things to check about the bathrooms
So, there are quite a few things to check about the bathrooms of the apartment. Let’s start with the toilets: flush the toilets to make sure they drain and fill appropriately. After a few minutes, check back on the toilet to listen to any sounds of running water that might suggest the tank isn’t working the way it needs to.
The faucets, tubs, and showers need to be inspected after the toilets. Turn on the faucets to ensure that the water pressure is good enough. Test both the cold and hot water faucets to know that they are working well. While you’re checking the bathroom, look inside those bathroom cabinets for signs of water leakage, and make sure that cabinet doors are opening and closing correctly.
- Additional features to check
There are a couple of miscellaneous features that you need to check about the apartment, as well. Things like parking facilities, the presence of carbon monoxide and smoke detectors, and electrical connectivity can also make or break a deal. The apartment needs to have at least one smoke detector, and the attached fireplace or garage should have a carbon monoxide detector. Make sure that the green indicator lights of the devices are working to know that these are functioning.
Though many apartments have parking on the street, it helps to have an attached parking space. As for the electrical connectivity, plugging your phone charger into every outlet and checking if your phone is charging should be enough to check that facility.
- Assessing the neighborhood situation
Finally, since you have checked all there is to inspect in the apartment, turn your attention to the neighborhood. After all, even the community has an impact on your living conditions. Take some time to listen and understand the overall noise levels in the neighborhood. Is traffic too loud? Are there dogs nearby that just won’t stop barking? Can you hear the neighbors constantly? It’s best to visit the apartment a couple of times and spend some time in the neighborhood to get an idea about what to expect.
The crime rate of the area is also something to pay heed to beforehand. You wouldn’t want to shift to a place where your family doesn’t get the peace of mind, regardless of how many security features the apartment has.
The Bottom Line
Choosing an apartment to rent is a major decision that involves a considerable financial investment. So, it is right for you to be doubly sure about everything before putting down that security deposit. In any case, it’s so hard to find good apartments in the preferred localities. You wouldn’t want to start looking for another apartment with a few months of renting one simply because you didn’t run the necessary checks in time.
