Things to do before moving into your new flat

Things to do before moving into your new flat

Trying to find a flat to rent can be a long process, and many find it a bit overwhelming. The truth is, it’s not easy to find perfect flats to rent in Johannesburg. And, there’s so much that goes into it. You start with the search online for a flat; then you move on to viewing the flat and finally, you have to collect and present all of the required documents.

However, it’s all possible; you simply need to find the right real estate agents in Johannesburg to assist you. Once you finally find an affordable flat to rent; one that ticks all of the right boxes, the search journey is worth it. Having a flat of your own is an exciting milestone. It gives you the freedom to be yourself and to do the things you want to do without asking for permission. It also brings with it a lot of responsibilities.

Those responsibilities start before you settle into your new home. At this point, you’re happy you’ve already signed the rental agreement and discussed the move-in date with your new landlord. But there are a couple of things you must do to make a success out of your move.

Iron out move-in details

You’ve already discussed the date of when you’ll be moving into your new flat with your new landlord. But do you know what time you’re allowed to move in? Do you know where you’ll park on the day? Do you know how many people you’re allowed to let into the premises? Do you need to sign anything for the day? These are questions you need to know the answers to before moving into your new flat.

Finalise moving budget

Whether you’re moving in for the first time or moving from another flat, you need a budget for your new move. Unless you have family members or friends helping you move with their cars, you have to pay for transportation on the day of your move. Moving trucks typically charge according to distance.

If you’re using this option, be sure to have the conversation in advance; find out how much it cost to transport your belongings and depending on how much stuff you’re moving, the trips could double or triple. Make sure you know exactly how much you will spend on transportation.

Also, find out if the company helping you with the move will also deliver the items to your door and assemble items needing assembling. Find out if there’s an extra charge for that.

Prepare the place for move-in

When you get to this stage, you should have the above factors sorted out already. But before you arrive at the property to prepare your flat, you will need to speak to your landlord to find out if it’s possible to do this. Explain to them exactly what it is that you will be doing.

For example, the property manager would have had the flat cleaned already, but if you’d want to do another touch-up, ask to do so. A touch-up can include mopping the floor, washing the windows, cleaning the cupboards or wardrobes (if they’re built-in), and disinfecting the surfaces.

Sort out utility services

Your rental lease already explains what utility bills you’ll be responsible for; now you need to know how to pay for them. For example, do you have to pay for electricity and water online, or is there a system the property uses for this? Do you need to be registered on the system?

Find out the answers to these questions from your landlord. When it comes to repair and maintenance, understand how you need to pay for these issues when the need arises. Also, find out about things like television connection; whether you have to bring your own satellite dish or if there’s a shared one, how that works, and if there’s a payment for that.

Property access

The final set up is access to the property. If the property has a system for opening the big car gate and a small pedestrian gate, you’ll need to be given access for that. Perhaps, it’s a tag, biometrics or the use of a cellphone number.

You’ll also need to know about parking for your car; you have to ask for access to a parking space and ask how much you will be paying for that, and by when you need to pay that bill. You will also need information on how to handle parking problems. For example, if your neighbour’s visiting friend parks in your parking bay, how do you approach this?

When you are a hundred percent clear on the above and everything else you need to be sorted, you can move in. If you still have more questions, don’t hesitate to contact JHC property and ask for any assistance you need.