Check an apartment listing

The rent is not the whole price

Send the listing, location, advertised rent, size, move-in date, and anything already disclosed about fees or utilities.

Check like for like

Nearby apartments are useful only when they are reasonably similar in size, condition, furnishing, lease length, parking, and access to transport. Ask Steady to explain why each comparison is relevant instead of quoting a broad neighborhood average.

Questions worth asking

• Which utilities and services are included?
• What is the deposit and when can deductions be made?
• Are there application, broker, parking, pet, or maintenance fees?
• How can the rent change at renewal?
• Who handles repairs and how are urgent problems reported?
• Can the landlord or agent prove they are authorized to rent it?

Never send money or identity documents until you have verified the property, the person offering it, and the written terms. Local rental rules vary, so verify important rights with an authoritative local source.