Finally you have moved into your own rental property and are ready to make it a home. As you enjoy the new accommodation and to avoid friction or eviction here are a few tips to help you
Pay your Bills
Pay your rent. On or before the due date. This will immediately endear you to the property owner. If, by some unfortunate chance you are unable to pay the rent by the agreed time. Inform the owner. And agree on a suitable date in the future. And honor that date. Also pay all other the charges that you may be responsible for. Be it electricity, water and refuse collection. Pay all the bills and on time.
Do not forget the Withholding Taxes charged on rent that are your responsibility. Pay them and provide the property owner with a copy of the payment certificates of deduction received from the revenue authority as soon as the certificate is available.
Use the premises as Agreed
You sought, found and signed an agreement for residential purposes so use the premises for residential purposes only. Do not move in and after a few months open a shop of some sort. And turn the premises into a commercial property. You agreed to use it as your residence so stick to that.
If somewhere along the line you need to use it as a commercial address, inform the owner and agree on terms.
Be a Good House Keeper
Keep the property in good and clean order. And if there any damages done by you, do repair and make good any breakage done. Sometimes, things break because of normal wear and tear. Which the owner should not hold you responsible for and repair or replace themselves.
Keeping the property in good and clean order means making sure the ceilings, wall and floors are cleaned. That wardrobes and other furniture supplied by the owner , kitchen unit and sink, doors, door locksets, windows, window curtain poles and rails with their rings, hand wash basin, mirrors, shower roses, toilet seats, sockets, and switches are all clean and kept in good order.
Do inform the owner as soon as possible of any damage observed to the main structures on the premises. They are responsible for these and will thank you for informing them that their property may be falling apart.
Be Respectful of the Neighbors
You may have the luck of finding living space in a stand-alone unit and be surrounded by a perimeter wall; meaning you have complete privacy. However you may also end up in a property that houses other tenants. In this case do mind how you behave. As there are other people on the property do not behave in a manner that can be constituted as an invasion on their privacy.
Invasion of privacy includes the use of excessive music and noise.
