If you’ve never had to rent an apartment before, whether it be for yourself or for your child, understanding the little details about a lease is crucial when deciding where would be best for your child to live.

An apartment can look great, be in a great location, and have an awesome price, but it doesn’t mean that living there will be peachy keen. 

What's In The Lease?

Take a look at the lease with your child before they sign and pay the security deposit.

Consider that your child will likely be living there for all four seasons—in Illinois, the winters are brutal and the summers are no better.

Check to make sure snow removal or general groundskeeping are part of that lease agreement, ensuring that your child won’t be responsible for digging their vehicle out of the parking lot when it snows. That would also mean sidewalks are cleared and common areas are maintained by the company and not your child. 

Is Parking Reserved?

It’s also important to make sure that your child won’t be responsible for finding their own parking, or paying for a parking pass in addition to their rent.

Many leasing companies try to pull this scam on college students. It’s true that not everyone has a car or needs one when they live close to campus, but it’s surely convenient when you need to get across town or make a trip home.

Look in your child’s lease to make sure this is an included cost. Even if they don’t use it, you or a friend of theirs may want to when visiting. 

What's Laundry Like?

It’s also important to note how laundry is handled in the complex. This may be stated in the lease, or you may notice it when touring an apartment.

Some units come with a washer and dryer within them, so there won’t be any competition for using them.

However, some complexes have a common laundry room, and some don’t have laundry at all.

Make sure your child has quarters in the event that they need to do laundry on the fly, or else they may be stuck with dirty clothes until the next trip home. 

Which Utilities Are Included? 

Something else that may stand out to you about your child’s lease is whether or not utilities will be included. This is a decision you should make at your own discretion, but there are a few things to consider when deciding whether this is a good deal.

For kids who go home frequently, or are typically not at their apartment, having utilities separate may be more beneficial in the long run.

Utilities are usually calculated on an allowance, so if you never go over that allowance (or come close to it), the rental company gets to keep the extra money not used towards that expense.

If you pay utilities yourself, you only pay for what you use.

There is no right or wrong way to decide on this, so you and your child should talk about it and use your best judgment.

Before your child puts their John Hancock on the lease, and before you inevitably co-sign, think about these little things so you can have peace of mind!