All of us have at least one renter's woe to share. Anyone who has ever rented a property can elaborate about the hard-nosed landlord who raised the rent exponentially when the lease expired; whose maintenance man was scheduled to fix the air conditioner immediately but failed to appear for a week; about the security gates that wouldn't open and locked out tenants .. and the list goes on and on. Certainly, some well-managed properties and responsible landlords do a fine job of responding to their tenants' needs. And it's no coincidence that these are the same properties that often have waiting lists for prospective new tenants.

My own personal education came about when I moved into my first apartment. I placed a deposit on the unit sight unseen (mistake number one) because the present tenant was in the process of vacating the unit, and the maintenance staff was preparing to clean it for the next resident (me). With the blind trust of a 22-year-old clamoring for a place of her own, I signed the lease -- and sealed my fate. My moving day excitement was dashed upon sight of the carpeting in my apartment: battleship gray, covered in a variety of bleach stains, grease stains and cigarette burns. My large, burly moving man, a friendly, salt-of-the-earth guy from Brooklyn whom you'd never expect to take note of such details, remarked, "Wow ... this carpet's dirty." I immediately set out to have my leasing staff notice the problem. I called, and called ... and called. I wrote a letter. Weeks later, I received a message on my answering machine: "We've done a walk-through of your unit, and we've decided that your carpet is in liveable condition." Liveable for whom? I wondered. For the next two and one-half years, I rearranged furniture, throw rugs, even the cat to cover up those awful stains on my carpet. I'd learned my lesson.

What are your rights as a tenant? A search on the World Wide Web can help educate you on the subject. Don't put down a deposit or rent a unit (especially one you haven't seen) without doing some research first.

For starters, drive to your prospective complex, and cruise around the property. Note how well it's maintained. Are there crews outside planting flowers? Touching up paint? Is the property pleasing to look at as you pull up to it? If you're feeling bold, stop a passing tenant and ask him or her for their own insight. Tenants might give you an earful and send you running from the complex. Make sure you ask them about their fellow neighbors as well as the leasing staff or landlord. Ask them how responsive the staff is to maintenance requests, and ask if they've ever witnessed suspicious activity or crimes in progress. Have they had a problem with roaches or other bug infestation?

Check out the parking facilities. Are parking spaces reserved for tenants, or is it first-come, first-served? Is there a laundry room (if the units don't contain washers and dryers), and if so, is it well-maintained with working units? Does it seem safe? Is the swimming pool and fitness facility (if present) well-maintained?

Another tip: Come back to the complex at night, and observe the sights. Is it quiet? Are the security gates (if present) closed or wide open? Do you see groups of people hanging around the property looking as if they're up to no good? Some properties have been known to have two personalities, day and nighttime. So make sure you drop by several times, and while you're at it, ask the leasing office for their crime report, as well. Many properties have such reports sitting right out in their reception areas for prospective tenants to peruse. If they have nothing to hide, giving you access to this information shouldn't be a problem.

And, learn from my experience: DON'T put down a deposit or sign a lease until you've seen the exact unit you'll be occupying. If there's a problem (the present tenant is still there, that's not their policy, etc.), no dice. Leave, and find another complex who will accommodate this reasonable request. And no, the offer to show you "a similar unit" or a model isn't good enough. In the case of a model, you're likely to put on your rose-colored glasses. Sure, that model looks nice. But unless you have a professional interior designer at your disposal, too, your own unit's likely to look much, much different. When you do see your actual prospective unit, inhale deeply, Make sure you don't smell any mildew (signaling plumbing or roof leaks). Do you see any signs of water damage on the ceiling or floors? Examine the kitchen appliances, turn on the water to make sure it's hot, flush the toilet, test the thermostat and check out the windows and doors (and don't worry that you're being watched by the leasing agent or landlord and that you might look silly). Look for smoke detectors, and make sure they work. And -- very important -- examine the carpet for unsightly stains.

If you find any faults or items in need of repair, take notes (you'll need to carry a notebook and pen with you). When your tour has been completed, hand the list to your prospective landlord (after making a copy for yourself). If you're willing to place a deposit down in the event that the landlord agrees to fix those items, get this agreement in writing before opening your wallet. If you're particularly bold, or if time isn't of the essence, ask that the repairs be completed before you place down a deposit. Then revisit the complex and examine the unit again to make sure it's to your satisfaction. The State Bar of Texas goes so far as to recommend that before consumers place down a deposit on a unit that they do a little background check on their prospective landlords. You can do this by contacting your local tenant association, better business bureau or other consumer protection agency. If this landlord or the complex management company has received a series of black marks and/or various complaints, the red flag has been officially raised. And you'll want to ask if the landlord manages other properties, so that you can research those, as well.

Only at this point are you educated enough to consider signing a lease. Stay tuned to Real Times for some helpful tips on that subject. In the meantime, remove the rose-colored glasses, and don't pressure yourself to find a home immediately if you can help it. Having learned from my first moving experience, I took my time finding another apartment last year. I cruised by and observed the property, the surrounding neighborhood and its character. Satisfied, I placed myself on a waiting list and soon moved into a home with an extremely responsive maintenance staff, a closed security gate, and yes, very clean carpeting. I've offically hung my hat here.

Published: April 28, 1999

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Editor's Note: This article reflects the opinions of Courtney Ronan only and not necessarily the views of this or any other publication, organization or Website owner.