Renting can have its challenges, from navigating small apartments, to ensuring your landlord loves you, there is a lot to think about.
Overall, the key to having a great rental experience is fostering a healthy landlord-tenant relationship. Are you the type of tenant property managers swoon over? Or are you the type they warn each other about? Find out if you’ve mastered renting by taking this renter quiz and learning your dream renter score!
Take the Renter Quiz:
Evaluate Your Dream Renter Score:
Dream Tenant (80-100%) :
Congratulations! While no one is perfect, you strive to be a responsible renter.
This will foster a great landlord-tenant relationship, and create an excellent rental history. Remember, even excellent renters need a little reminder now-and-then, regularly check in with your landlord to ask if there is anything you should be doing to ensure that you stay in their high esteem and get your security deposit back at the end of tenancy.
Ready To Learn (65-79%) :
You’re not always following your lease to a “T” but chances are you have a good relationship with your landlord. Educate yourself on how to improve as a renter by reading tenant tips, re-examining your lease conditions, and checking in with your landlord.
There’s always room for improvement if you want to be the best renter possible, and get an excellent reference for your next place.
In Hot Water (00-64%) :
Uh-oh! Warnings are in order.
While you may be experiencing some extenuating circumstances, there is a large likelihood that you could be at risk of breaching your lease agreement. This is serious as it can put you at risk for a diminished security deposit or even eviction!
Remember though, it’s never too late to start being a great renter. Check in with your landlord about ways to improve, and explain any special circumstances you may be experiencing. There are a lot of nuances to becoming a true dream tenant, but in the end, just remember to pay your rent on time and treat the property like it was your own; by doing this you’ll be well on your way to improvement.
Understanding Your Score:
Each question on the renter quiz has a “best answer” that awards the most points possible. To find out what it was, compare your answers to find out what they were–and how you can improve as a renter.
- I pay rent on time. [Best Answer: Always]
- Paying rent on time is a vital task to be a responsible renter. Check with your landlord about online payment options if you are having difficulty remembering.
- My landlord and I have a good relationship. [Best Answer: True]
- Being on great terms with your landlord will serve you well. Learn how you are damaging your landlord-tenant relationship so you can address the issues.
- Sometimes it makes sense to have a friend pose as a boss or former landlord. [Best Answer: False]
- Falsifying your references is never a good way to start a tenancy. Use truthful references, and make yourself stand out with a rental resume instead.
- I clean my air filter every ___ months. [Best Answer: 3 (or less)]
- Did you know you should change your filter seasonally–or more if you have a pet? This prevents against HVAC damage and saves your security deposit.
- I have lied about an emergency to stave off repercussions for late rent. [Best Answer: Never]
- Avoid lying to your landlord. Be honest. Explain the real circumstances ASAP; make arrangements for late payment to maintain trust and a good relationship.
- Every tenant causes damage to rental properties, it’s inevitable and landlords need to calm down. [Best Answer: Mostly False]
- Learn the differences between damage from neglect and abuse vs. wear and tear. Rentals are a huge investment for owners, so care for the property well.
- Pets are important, so I have kept a secret pet from my landlord. [Best Answer: Never]
- Never hide a pet; find a pet-friendly rental, or ask your landlord if you can keep a pet by paying an additional security deposit or pet rent.
- I have no problem letting my friends or significant other crash for a few months or more at my place. [Best Answer: No]
- To prevent against unscreened tenants and secret roommates, most leases prohibit long-term guests. Ask your landlord’s permission before giving an invite.
- I’m good about reporting a leak or maintenance issue right when I spot one. [Best Answer: Yes, I don’t want it to get worse.]
- Leaks and maintenance issues can compound if they are not addressed quickly. You risk losing your security deposit by not reporting one in a timely manner.
- I regularly clean and am confident that the unit is as tidy as when I moved in. [Best Answer: Yes, a clean space is important to me.]
- Keeping your rental clean is vital to preventing pests and getting your security deposit back at the end of your tenancy.
There you have it, you now have the know-how to become the best tenant possible. Hopefully, this renter quiz revealed areas where you could use improvement, or reaffirmed that you truly are a dream renter! Remember, that we all may make mistakes from time-to-time, but striving to be a great renter is the best way to keep your rapport with your current landlord, get your security deposit back, and ensure that any future application is not denied based on your rental history.
If the landlord is your family and tells you get out 30 days or I will start thrashing your personal belongings
? After already breaking personal belongings because the didn’t want it on the back porch.and keeping expensive belongings locked up until rent is paid even when rent isn’t due for 6 more days?
It can be tricky to maintain the tenant-landlord relationship when renting from family. And, often in that dynamic the tenant-landlord relationship (rules & regulations, lease agreements, etc) are never fully established properly so disputes are more difficult to correct. Those documents provide each party clear rights and responsibilities (such as where personal belongings can be displayed or stored and rental payment policies). From your post, it sounds as if it may be time to either try to establish those clear boundaries (for both parties) or locate another rental.
I’m a 16 year old and I’ve been verbally abused and emotional abused by my landlord saying disgusting things about me and my family, and threaten us to kick us out, and also took away our windows in our bathroom, and yelled at me when my parents weren’t here.
That sounds frightening, Veo. Your parents can contact the local housing office (sometimes referred to as Department of Housing, County Housing Office, etc) to discuss the regulations in your areas regarding the window issue and renters rights to warranty of habitability and other landlord-tenant concerns you mentioned like proper notification to vacate (move-out). Having that information can help your parents decide about next steps to take. Having said that, I hope you can limit your contact with the landlord until your parents are present. And of course, if you are ever alone and feel you are in physical danger, reach out to your local authorities.