First time renter, help please.

Question

I've never rented before and I was just wondering how it works when you want to renew your lease. Do they send you something in the mail, call or can they rent it out to someone else before asking you?

Answer 1

Depends on where you are - house or apt.  If it's an apt. the staff will usually contact you with some sort of incentive to sign a new lease or you can inquire at the office about renewing your lease.  The good thing about signing another lease is your rent amount is locked in for that period of time.  If you go month to month after your lease has expired, you are likely to see your rent raised.

Answer 2

Customs vary from place to place.  Ask your landlord about their policy after the initial lease expires.  Some places then carry you on a month to month.  As long as you pay your rent, and don't burn the place down, all is well.

As long as you are paying your rent on time, they won't rent your unit out from under you.  If they decide to go condo, or make massive changes, they will notify you, trust me, you will hear about anything that is going on and a lot that isn't from he people who live in the units around you.  Gossip about management is  favorite topic around the pool.

Answer 3

Many leases have automatic renewal clauses, so carefully read your current rental agreement.  Your rental agreement may automatically renew month-to-month or for another full 12 months (or however long your original lease was).  

Your landlord can re-rent your unit to someone else, but will still have to give you the minimum move-out notice (usually 30 days).  However, unless you're on bad terms with your landlord, your landlord will probably prefer to renew your lease and not incur the turnover costs (lost rent, cleaning, upgrades, etc.) of re-renting your unit.  

Answer 4

They usually contact you two months before your lease expires.  Or you can make it known to them that you want to stay and renew.  Don't be afraid to contact them.  Then you will know that you are renewed and you can relax.  They probably would like to know if you want to renew , so take the initiative and give them a call and get a new lease.  At that time if there are any repairs that they haven't made and need to be done , ask them to do it at that time.  Get everything in writing at all times.  Keep communication open with them.

Answer 5

The landlord will send you a lease renewal notice in the mail. If you have not received a notice and its after the lease period, you  will be on a month to month contract until the lease extension is signed by both you and the landlord. They cannot rent your apartment to someone else.