which are the requirements for renting a house ? (real estate, sublets)

[Cais Arts]

I'll be in LA next year with my husband , for work .
I'd like to know usually wich are the requirements for renting a house like studio flat from private or agency. (like work contract etc. )
thanks so much

[RosieSD]

Originally Posted by Cais Arts

I'll be in LA next year with my husband , for work .
I'd like to know usually wich are the requirements for renting a house like studio flat from private or agency. (like work contract etc. )
thanks so much

It will vary, but most landlords will want:

(1) proof of employment (pay stubs) or bank statements showing you have enough savings to pay for several months of rent.

(2) Many landlords will also do a credit history check to see if you have a good record of paying bills on time and to verify your income/debt

(3) at least one month of the rent as a deposit. Some landlords will ask for two months and/or a security deposit on top of this. You will not get this money back until you move out (assuming you keep the rental in good shape)

(4) Some landlords also ask for references from past landlords.

(5) You will want to sign a lease. This is a contract that specifies the rent you will pay and what your responsibilities are as a tenant. Some landlords do a "month to month" lease which means you can leave the rental with one month's notice, but also that the landlord can raise your rent at any time with one month's notice. Other landlords will do a lease for a specified period of time, such as six months to one year. This is usually best as your rent can't be increased during that period, BUT if you decide to move somewhere else during the time of the lease, you may be required to pay all of the remaining months (this will be specified in the lease contract, so read it carefully).

In Southern California, the best rentals (i.e., the ones in good locations) often get a lot of interest. Landlords will sometimes allow multiple people to "apply" for the apartment, and then decide who they think will be the best tennant, based on income, credit check, references, etc. So, be prepared for that scenario.

I would be careful about using an "agency" to find you an apartment. Usually, they won't do anything you can't do for yourself, and often you'll pay for those services. However, sometimes real estate agents (different than an "agency") have listings for rentals, so when you decide where you want to live, contact real estate agencies in that area to see if they do this. In most instances, you will be dealing directly with a landlord (owner of the property) or the landlord's representative (sometimes called an apartment manager).

If you're subletting an apartment from someone who has a lease, that can be more problematic. If you decide to sublet, make sure you understand that person's agreement with their landlord, because it is easy to get into a complicated situation with sublets.

Good luck with your move.

[sadbunny]

I think if you sign up for a service like Westsiderentals, they will run your credit just once and have it available for all possible units you are interested in.

We just rented out our house in the south bay and our property manager ran a credit check for each of the applicants, and asked for first and last months rent (along with security deposit and pet fee). Unfortunately there are not a lot of houses for rent in so. cal (although it depends on the area). It took 3 days for the house to be rented out from date of posting.

[Mr_Geek]

Job
Decent Credit score
Pay stubs
Steady income
No evictions or bankruptcies
Money for first months rent (and possibly last) + security deposit