Before you go on a rental-hunting spree, figure out if your budget deserves to go where you’re planning to spend it.

Generally speaking, you should not spend more than 30 percent of your income on housing costs.

Other than getting a reasonable price, there are many other considerations tenants have to make before renting a property. Here are 5 things to inspect in a rental home before calling it your ‘home away from home’.

1. Amenities

Even if you’re not expecting a 5-star hotel treatment, a rental home’s immediate façade and surroundings should at least make your stay as easy and as pleasant as possible.

The level of comfort you will get from a rental home depends largely on your particular needs and expectations. Aside from standard linens in the bedroom, basic cleaning supplies, working appliances in the kitchen and wash area, you would want to ensure that the plumbing and air conditioning are working just fine.

And since it’s the 21st century, you should expect to have a good Wi-Fi signal around.

2. Safety and Security

Make sure all the doors and windows can shut and lock securely because your family’s basic safety depends on it. Ask the rental manager if the property is fully compliant with all local health and safety regulations and if it has a functioning alarm system.

3. Cleanliness and Orderliness

One of the main responsibilities of the rental manager is to provide a clean and orderly rental home. You don’t want to spend your hard-earned vacation days cleaning away after the unsightly mess around.

You deserve to enjoy your time away from home and you paid for it so you have to specifically make this clear during your discussion with the rental manager. Either he or she will be responsible for its cleanliness and orderliness or that there would be a third-party cleaning service crew that will come on a regular basis in between your stay to ensure you would have a spotless vacation home.

4. Storage

Storage can be expensive to buy and unnecessary burden especially when it’s time to move to another location again. But for the meantime, you should ask the rental manager if there is enough internal or external storage for all your personal effects and important items such as book collection, bike, vintage cutlery set, and such. Make sure the rental home also includes enough space and areas for cumbersome cleaning items and household materials.

5. The Rental Agreement

Before signing the deal, take time to read all the rules and expectations that come with the rental agreement. This includes the rental fee; the rental start date and end date; renewal policy and escalation clause; any additional agreed upon expenses for necessary repairs, repurchase or updates of items and/or appliances.
If you have pets with you, make sure the rental manager knows about this ahead of time and specifically include his or her approval on the rental agreement – including restrictions, if there are any –to avoid any misunderstanding on both sides.

Though you might be tempted to skip going through the long and boring stuff, resist the urge of signing on the dotted line just yet without fully understanding what you’re entering in.