How To: Apartment Inspections in New York State

If you are considering renting an apartment, perhaps in Manhattan New York, or the Bronx's, Brooklyn, Staten Island, Yonkers, Westchester, Nassau County or Queens, there are a few things you should do, like inspect the property you are about to move into, before you sign a rental agreement or lease.

If the landlord is available, have him or her go over the apartment with you so that he or she knows what damage is already there and what you are talking about or writing down so you won't be responsible for something that someone did before you moved in. Just as if you were purchasing a house or condominium, you need to carefully inspect the apartment for anything that is damaged or out of the ordinary or doesn't work so that the landlord can fix the problems before you move in or they become bigger problems. If the landlord is unavailable, make sure you note everything on a piece of paper, even better would be to document things, such as a hole in the wall, with a photograph or video camera. This is for your protection as well as the landlords. If they are an honest person, they will agree to allow you to inspect the premises before you sign any agreement or move in.