5 rules on how to properly sign an apartment rental agreement
1. The most important thing is the form of the rental agreement.
The landlord, as a natural person, is recommended to sign an occasional lease agreement. This excludes the application of the Act on the Protection of Tenants' Rights.
If you don't pay your rent, the whole process is very simplified.
Concluding an occasional lease agreement allows you to react quickly in the event of failure to pay the rent. The very fact of signing such a contract and visiting a notary and submitting to the rigor of enforcement influences what kind of tenant we are dealing with.
2. Detailed description of fixed and movable items in the apartment, i.e. the so-called delivery and acceptance protocol, which constitutes an annex to the contract.
- meter readings and numbers as well as photos,
- who transfers what, transmits it to whom,
- date and time of execution of the protocol,
- description of attachments,
- good technical documentation in the form of photos is the best way to describe the actual condition of the apartment - such detailed photos can help you in case of disputes whether there was a crack on the tile or not, or maybe there were 5 drawers in the refrigerator instead of 2, etc.
3. Accurately detailed additional fees.Rent for you as the landlord. Remember that you pay tax on rent and not on additional fees. Describing the rent and utility fees in detail will help you avoid explaining yourself or explaining everything to the tax office. Additional fees are usually paid to the owner's account. The tenant may have dishonest intentions or his financial situation will change. If you pay utilities or administrative fees directly to your account, you will avoid a situation in which you find out after a few months in the cooperative that your apartment is in debt.
4. Be sure to take a deposit - at least one rent and additional fees.
The deposit is collected in case of non-payment of rent and possible damage. It is worth taking into account the standard of the apartment you offer to tenants. If you have a beautifully finished apartment and the renovation cost you several dozen thousand zlotys, the deposit should be increased by a few percent.
One month's rent may be too low to cover losses in the case of a dishonest tenant who left us with damages as a parting gift..
5. Check the tenant.Checking the tenant by name and surname on google.pl or various social media such as Facebook, Instagram or even Twitter.
Ask for references from the previous landlord. The most important thing is that you raise issues such as:
- How long did he live there?
- Did he pay rent and utilities on time?
- Ask for a contact number.
If someone has a problem with this or brings us a reference written by a colleague, this should make us vigilant. Work certificate showing where he works.
Check your tenant in BIK and BIG.
Take a moment to talk to the tenant, a simple conversation can tell you a lot about the person, you just have to listen.