Moving to a new location is always stressful. Even if you somehow have plenty of time to pack up all your belongings, label each box, and transport it to your new house or apartment without breaking any glass or any bones, it’s an exhausting process. So the last thing anyone would want to have happen is to discover an issue with their place. Therefore, it’s important to be aware of what things you should call your landlord over, and what may be entirely up to you.
Issues with heat, water or electric
These are definitely issues that a landlord should be prepared to help fix. According to real estate law, a good property management company should ensure that all of its rentals are in living condition. This includes making sure that water, electric, heat and other vital amenities are all in working order, and can sometimes include checking for adequate ventilation, wiring, and more. As a general rule of thumb, if it’s inside the building, your landlord should be able to help you with it.
Issues with cable, phone or internet
Generally speaking, no. Since real estate law only requires that the property be safe to live in, and since most cable companies operate wirelessly or through a box on the nearest telephone pole, it’s outside of the building. Therefore, it’s best to have the service number of your phone, internet or cable provider nearby and be ready to call them in case of an outage.
Issues with neighbors
It depends. In an apartment complex or any other location where the units are connected, it’s possible that your landlord would be able to take some kind of action against disruptive behavior. Generally, it depends on if whatever your neighbor is doing is in violation of your lease. For example, if it’s midnight on a Thursday and the guy in the apartment unit above you is playing loud music, that might be rude but not illegal. If his dog is barking up a storm and your building doesn’t allow pets, then it’s absolutely time to call the landlord.
