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Landlords can charge prospective renters a screening or application cost, but there are limitations to just how much. Prospective renters should get a copy of their credit report if the property owner obtained one, a receipt revealing the expense of the screening, and a refund of any unused portion of the charge. For additional information, consisting of the existing screening charge limitation, see our Tenant Screening Fees page.

Make certain you can afford the rent

Signing a fixed-term lease may obligate you to pay the rent for the entire term, unless there is a truly excellent reason to leave, like major habitability problems. If you move out before the lease ends, you may be delegated paying lease if the owner can not re-rent the system before the lease duration expires. See our Lease Breaking page to learn more.

Check if the unit has protections under the Rent Ordinance

Most rentals in Berkeley are either totally or partly covered by the Rent Ordinance, however some units are entirely exempt from any securities. It is necessary to understand what rights you'll have as an occupant. Check our Is Your Unit Covered by Rent Control? page for information about securities and numerous exemptions for various kinds of systems. You can also contact us to inquire about a specific system.

Understand the terms of the lease before signing

It's crucial to plainly understand what you are accepting before accepting the regards to a lease. While sometimes only the property owner can clarify what a term suggests, we can help identify concerns so that you have the ability to ask the best questions. Common problems are:

Last month's rent: Ask the property manager if the last month's rent will be used. Be clear on what the landlord's objectives are with all money collected (beyond the very first month's rent) at the start of a tenancy. If you have actually a written lease, this need to be clearly spelled out.

Discounted lease: For units with rent control, minimized, totally free, or discounted rent needs to be factored into the base rent ceiling for a new tenancy. For example, if a proprietor and occupant agree to a lease of $2,000 per month for a brand-new occupancy with a 12-month term, but the renter gets one month of totally free lease, the base lease ceiling for the system would be $1,833.33, which is the average of the regular monthly rent payments made for the preliminary lease term ($ 22,000/ 12 months). In this example, beginning the month following the expiration of the preliminary lease term, the optimum lease the landlord might charge would be $1,833.33.

Spending for energies: For occupancies that began on or after February 6, 2024, a proprietor may charge a tenant in a completely covered unit for energies just if either: the expense of the energies becomes part of the base rent, or the utility service is separately-metered and the lease needs the occupant to position the utility in the renter's name. A proprietor who is charging a tenant for energies independently from rent on or after February 6, 2024, might submit a petition with the Rent Board to include the typical expense of energies to the lease ceiling. Rent ceiling boosts must be made through the petition procedure, but the celebrations can ask to waive the hearing if they agree on the increase, and the agreement and proof sent with the petition fulfill certain requirements. See our Rent Adjustment Petitions page for information.

Get a signed, composed copy of your lease and receipts for all payments

California law requires your property manager to provide you a copy of your lease, so you ought to request for a copy of the property owner hasn't given you one. It's likewise important to get invoices for any payments that you make, particularly if you pay in cash.

Notice of Tenant Rights

For tenancies that started on or after December 20, 2024, within fifteen days of the start of the tenancy, your property owner must offer you a written notification consisting of the following info: The presence of and scope of the Rent Ordinance