Renting a Property? What Tenants Should Know Before Signing
The Property Perspective is a weekly radio show on 919 FM, airing every Tuesday at 4:15 PM with Al and Lesedi on The Drive Train.
Episode 11 | The Property Perspective with Etchells & Young
Finding a rental property is about more than liking the home and being able to afford the monthly rent.
In Episode 11 of The Property Perspective on 919 FM, Harry turns the conversation towards tenants and shares practical advice on how to approach a rental application, what to ask before signing and how to protect yourself throughout the tenancy.
In This Episode
Harry looks at the rental process from the tenant's perspective and explains why asking the right questions before signing can prevent problems later.
Harry discusses:
How to make yourself a stronger rental applicant
Why your attitude at a viewing can matter
Questions tenants should ask before signing a lease
Checking whether levies and rates are up to date
Clarifying repairs and upgrades before occupation
Asking whether the landlord intends to sell or move back in
Understanding your rights and obligations under the lease
How to improve your chances of getting your deposit back quickly
Watch Episode 11
The Property Perspective airs weekly on 919 FM.
How Can You Make Yourself a Stronger Rental Applicant?
When several tenants are interested in the same property, affordability and screening are important - but they are not always the only factors a landlord considers.
Harry encourages tenants to think about the process from the landlord's perspective. A landlord is looking for someone who will pay reliably, take care of the property and hopefully remain a good long-term tenant.
How you communicate and conduct yourself during the application and viewing process can therefore help shape the landlord's first impression.
A Viewing Is Also a First Impression
Tenants should absolutely ask questions and point out concerns during a viewing.
But Harry explains that there is a difference between asking reasonable questions and being unnecessarily combative from the beginning.
A tenancy is normally a long-term relationship between the landlord, tenant and often the managing agent. Starting that relationship with clear, courteous communication can make a difference later.
What Should You Ask Before Signing?
One of Harry's strongest recommendations is to ask questions before committing to the property.
For example, if the property is in a complex, tenants may want to establish whether the landlord's levies and other accounts are up to date.
Harry shares an example where a tenant moved into a rental property only for services to be interrupted because the landlord had significant outstanding levies.
These are issues that can directly affect the tenant even though the debt itself belongs to the owner.
Clarify Repairs Before You Move In
If there are visible problems during the viewing, ask what will actually be repaired before occupation and what will simply be recorded as an existing defect.
The same applies to promised upgrades.
If the landlord agrees to replace carpets, attend to a particular repair or make another improvement, Harry recommends that the agreement be recorded properly in the lease rather than relying on a verbal promise.
Is the Landlord Planning to Sell?
Moving is expensive and disruptive, so it can be worth asking whether the landlord expects to sell the property or move back into it in the near future.
Circumstances can always change unexpectedly, but understanding the landlord's current plans can help tenants make a more informed decision before committing to a long-term rental.
Ask About Security Too
Security is an important consideration for many Johannesburg tenants.
Harry recommends asking whether there have been significant security incidents at the property or within the complex.
A viewing may tell you what the property looks like, but it will not necessarily tell you everything about the experience of actually living there.
Why Did the Previous Tenant Leave?
This is another perfectly reasonable question to ask.
Sometimes the previous tenant simply moved because their personal circumstances changed.
But in other cases, the answer may reveal something useful about the property, the landlord or the tenancy that a prospective tenant should know before signing.
Have a Specific Requirement? Discuss It Upfront
If you need something unusual from the property, raise it before the lease is concluded.
Harry uses the example of a tenant who may need additional electrical capacity for specialised equipment.
The landlord may be willing to make an improvement, or the parties may agree on how the cost will be shared.
Whatever is agreed should then be recorded clearly in the lease.
Understand the Lease Before You Sign
Tenants have rights, but they also have contractual obligations.
Harry recommends reading the lease carefully and understanding important clauses before signing, particularly those dealing with cancellation, maintenance, occupation and what happens if the landlord sells or wants to return to the property.
If there is a clause you do not understand, ask about it before signing rather than trying to resolve the issue later.
Question Anything That Does Not Look Right
Harry also cautions tenants not to assume that every clause appearing in a lease is automatically enforceable simply because it has been written into the agreement.
He uses late-payment penalties as an example and advises tenants to ask questions when a clause appears unusual or unfair.
Where necessary, obtain professional advice before agreeing to a term you are uncomfortable with.
Remember, It Is a Long-Term Relationship
A successful tenancy works best when both sides communicate properly.
Not every maintenance issue or disagreement needs to become a major dispute.
Harry encourages tenants and landlords to communicate, negotiate where appropriate and build a workable relationship over the course of the lease.
A good rental history can also put a tenant in a much stronger position when renewals or future rental applications come around.
Want Your Deposit Back Quickly?
The way a tenant hands the property back at the end of the lease can affect how smoothly the deposit refund process goes.
Harry recommends making sure the property is properly cleaned, attending to any tenant-responsible repairs and taking the exit inspection seriously.
Returning the property in the required condition reduces the number of deductions that may need to be dealt with after occupation ends.
Don't Forget About Interest on Your Deposit
A listener shares her experience of having to pursue the interest earned on her rental deposit after moving out.
Harry explains that tenants should understand how their deposit is being held and what happens to the interest earned during the tenancy.
He also notes that tenants can ask for information about the interest on their deposit during the course of the lease.
A Key Takeaway
Go into a rental with your eyes open.
Ask questions, understand the lease, clarify promises before signing and make sure you know both your rights and your responsibilities.
A good tenancy is not only about finding the right property. It is also about starting the landlord-tenant relationship on the right footing.
What Is The Property Perspective?
The Property Perspective is Etchells & Young's weekly property segment on 919 FM.
Each episode explores a different aspect of property - from rentals and property management to buying, selling, legislation, sectional title living and the everyday questions property owners and tenants face.
Follow the series as we unpack more of the issues that matter to Johannesburg property owners, buyers, sellers, landlords and tenants.
Looking for a Rental Property?
Finding the right rental is about more than matching bedrooms, location and budget.
Speak to the Etchells & Young rental team for professional guidance when searching for your next home across Johannesburg's northern suburbs.
