How to know if apartment is illegal?

By Tenant

If you are financially, socially and economically ready to live your own. But you can’t afford to buy a new house yet then settle for an apartment to rent. Be aware though, coz the last thing you ever want to do is to rent an illegal apartment.

How can you tell if the apartment is illegal? Here are some tips you should take note before renting.

• Know the market. Many landlords would advertise their property for prospective tenants to find. You may have to be extra cautious to these advertisements though most especially if the advertised unit has a price that is significantly lower and cheaper than the normal price of any other apartment in the area.
• Apartments with small windows or no windows at all must be avoided. Landlords who have illegal apartments sometimes advertise their rental units with the description of “sunny” to entice renters for the small windows. These types of apartments are sometimes basement apartments and cellars.
• Be careful of the words “basement” and “attic”. Apartments that are advertised with the words “basement” and “attic” are usually those who do not have enough exits.
• Beware of apartments wherein you cannot receive mail. Landlords who refuse to let the tenants receive their mails in their apartment unit and insist that you get a P.O. Box are actually advertising an illegal rental unit.
• “Utilities included” is a red flag. Landlord who refuses to change the name on the utility bill to the tenant is actually afraid that the residents may violate the legal occupancy of the building.
• Beware of no lease/contract apartment. Those landlords who decline to draw and make a lease agreement, requests that the lease must be month-to-month and refuses to accept payments not in cash may have a rental unit that is illegal. Be very suspicious of them.

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