Navigating the Rental Application Process

With so many people looking to rent these days, it can be tough to land the apartment you want.  We have all gone to see a place that we immediately fell in love with, only to realize that the sheer number of prospective applicants milling around made it pretty unlikely that you might actually become the lucky tenant.  However, the application process is not simply the luck of the draw.  There are things you can do as a prospective tenant to ensure that your application gets the consideration it deserves.  Here are some tips to help you put your best foot forward in the rental application process.

Get Organized

Property owners and managers are just like everybody else: they greatly appreciate when the people they are dealing with are thorough and organized.  So, before you check out a prospective apartment put together a complete rental portfolio.  Almost all rental applications will ask you for a copy of your photo identification, proof of income (such as a recent paystub), a credit report, and even blank cheques.  Neatly assembling these documents in an easy to navigate binder or portfolio will make your prospective landlord’s life easier and make you a more desirable tenant in the process.  Also, as each property will have its own application, be sure you have all the pertinent application information handy when you visit the property.  This includes, addresses, phone numbers, employer, or former landlords’ names and contact information.  The more you can do to speedily, clearly, and thoroughly complete your application at the time of viewing the greater your chances of securing the lease.

Get Personal

As you assemble a neatly organized renter’s portfolio consider adding a few other personal touches to let your prospective know what a great tenant you are.  One way to do this is by including a brief cover letter with your application.  A letter that outlines who you are, where you come from, why you want the apartment, and what makes you such a great and considerate tenant can go a long way.  In addition to a brief letter and history of yourself you should also include a few reference letters.  Letters, or even a list of names and contact information from previous landlords, are wonderful ways to instil confidence in your prospective landlord.  You should also remember the importance of the personal touch when you are actually viewing the apartment.  The viewing gives you some direct, one-on-one time with the property owner or manager, so remember to be polite, positive, conscientious, and kind.  Showing that you are reasonable, likeable, and responsible is a sure-fire way to keep your application at the top of the pile.

Your Apartment Spring Cleaning Guide

Spring is the perfect time to breathe new life into your apartment with a thorough cleaning.  Not only can you scour away a year’s worth of grime, you can also sort through and purge the piles of clutter that have accumulated in your home over the long winter.  Despite this, with so much mess and so little time, spring-cleaning can often feel a little overwhelming.  With a little pre-planning and a lot of elbow grease you can tackle your spring-cleaning with ease.

Plan and Purge

The first step to an effective spring-cleaning is planning.  Before you pick up a sponge, consider how much time you have to commit to the job, determine which cleaning goals you want to accomplish, and make a to-do list.  A detailed list keeps you on task, and reminds you that there is an end in sight.  After mapping out a plan, your next step is to “pre-clean” your apartment by de-cluttering it.  Go through your closets, cupboards, work area, and correspondence pile, and get rid of anything and everything that is no longer in use.  A good rule of thumb is to consider whether or not you have used an item in the past year: if the answer is no, send it on its way.  If you have pack-rat tendencies, start a good will donation bag and a bag for shredding documents.  This speeds up the decision making process by breaking it down.

Get Down and Dirty

Once you have de-cluttered, the actual cleaning is far less daunting, because nothing stands between you and the filth.  At a minimum, you will want to be sure that you give all of your tables, shelves, and counter-tops a good dusting and wiping down, and that you give your carpets and floors a thorough vacuuming and mopping. However, a spring-cleaning demands a few extra steps to ensure that your apartment really sparkles.  First, wipe down and polish all of your windows and mirrors.  Cleaning your glass is relatively quick and painless, and goes a long way towards brightening up your space.  Next, remove and wash your couch and your cushion covers, and, if applicable, your curtains.  This might seem like a cumbersome task, but the result of feeling like you just reupholstered your furniture makes it all worthwhile.  Then, wipe down your cupboard doors, baseboards, kitchen backsplash, and your garbage and recycling bins.  Again, this is a relatively quick and easy task, and it does wonders to restore crispness and brightness to your living space.  Finally, wipe down all of your kitchen appliances—from your fridge and oven door, to your toaster and tea-kettle.

To complete your spring-clean, pick up a nice new plant, light some incense, open up the windows, and breathe in the freshness!

Security Tips for Renters

You can never be too careful when it comes to the safety of yourself and your home.  Although we might think of security precautions as the business of homeowners, there are numerous measures we can take as renters to ensure our own safety.  Here are some tried and true security tips for renters to keep you safe.

Secure Your Space

Safety begins with ensuring that your unit is properly secured.  Make sure that your apartment has a deadbolt lock with a backup chain.  This locking system is fairly standard on most apartments, but if your unit happens to have a spring latch lock, do what you can to install a deadbolt, because spring latch locks are easily compromised.  In addition to securing your front door, make sure you have solid, working locks on your windows and sliding doors.  Break-ins often occur through windows and sliding doors, so in addition to your locks, place a metal bar in the sliding tracks to ensure the door itself will not slide open from the outside.

Light it Up and Secure the Area

Another major deterrent to break-ins is the presence of good, responsive lighting.  If you live in a house, make sure that all of your outdoor areas are well lit at all times.  Secure less trafficked and less visible areas, such as back-decks or side-alleys, by installing strong, motion-activated lighting.  If you live in a building, do your best to ensure that all entranceway and hallway lighting is active at all times, and that dead bulbs, or broken locks, are changed immediately.  Buildings have a lot of people coming and going, so double check that your building has effective safety procedures in place, in regards to securing doors, and buzzing in guests and deliveries.  Also, double check that your building is vigilant and consistent on keeping common areas, such as laundry and fitness areas, well-lit and well-monitored at all times.    

Engage your Community

The most important safety precaution you can take is getting to know, and staying connected to, the community of renters you share your space with. Get to know your neighbours, and, if you live in a building, get to know the maintenance and door security staff as well.  These communal relationships help you stay alerted to any on-going security risks, and they keep the lines of communication open about any potential risks that might emerge.  An added benefit to maintaining this community is the informal neighbourhood watch it produces. Safety comes from the communal ties of a building, which ensures that its members watch out for one another, and that they do not hesitate to lend a hand when needed.