4 Things Moms Should Know About Apartment Living

Moms know there are positives and negatives about both apartment living and home ownership. If you own a house, you don’t need to chase the landlord around or try to contact the super if you need them to fix something for you. On the other hand, you need to put up the money yourself to pay for anything that breaks.

If you own a house, you have to pay property taxes, while if you stay in an apartment, you must pay rent. One notable thing about living in your own house, though, is that you have equity. You’re not building any up if you live in an apartment.

Let’s say you’re a mom, and you can’t afford to move out of your apartment right now. Maybe you’ll look into home ownership in the future, but it’s not possible at the moment. There are a few things about apartment living you should keep in mind, so let’s look at those right now.

Your Landlord Needs to Get Rid of Mold if You Discover Any

As a mom raising kids in an apartment, you need to make sure that it’s a suitable place for them, as well as for yourself and the rest of your family members. If you discover mold in your apartment, you must make sure the landlord gets rid of that without delay.

Mold can cause skin or eye irritation. It can cause coughing or wheezing. It’s even worse if you or your child has asthma or another respiratory condition.

You need to watch out for mold in areas where there’s moisture. Anywhere in your apartment that floods regularly might be a place to look. You should check around pipes and keep an eye on drywall, carpet, upholstery, and other fabrics in your apartment as well.

If your landlord does not get rid of mold promptly, contact a lawyer and ask them for help. You can always bring a lawsuit if necessary.

Your Landlord Must Get Rid of Lead Paint as Well

You don’t want to live in an apartment where there’s lead paint. Lead is one of the more highly toxic metals. If your children absorb lead into their bodies, it can damage the kidneys, brain, and other vital organs.

You should ask the landlord when you move in whether there’s any lead paint on the premises. It’s often in older buildings. Manufacturers once used lead paint before they realized how dangerous it is.

You might ask that the landlord produce a signed document certifying that they’ve checked for lead paint and removed any they found. That way, if you do discover any later, and it makes you or your children sick, you can use that document when you sue the landlord.

Your Landlord Must Keep the Apartment Pest-Free

Moms also don’t want their kids living in an apartment where there are pests. You might have to deal with mice, rats, bedbugs, termites, cockroaches, or something else with the proper rodent treatment.

Some pests are merely annoying, but some are dangerous. Rats can be quite aggressive, and you don’t want to risk a rat biting your child, especially a baby who is too young to defend itself.

If you see any evidence of rat infestation or of any other pests, notify the landlord so that he can set an appointment with rat control services. They should take immediate steps to rid the building of pests, or that’s grounds for a lawsuit as well.

Your Landlord Should Take Care of Plumbing and Heating Problems Quickly

One nice thing about living in an apartment is that if you ever have a plumbing problem, it’s the landlord’s job to fix that. They should send the super to your apartment to fix a broken toilet or get a water heater replacement in Milford, MA. Hiring a plumbing professional like plumbing services – Hall’s Plumbing to conduct water heater repair or any other plumbing issues should be done right away to avoid further problems that might happen. Your landlord may also consider getting help from a residential plumber in Prospect, CT who can provide emergency plumbing services.

If the landlord doesn’t take action quickly to fix any plumbing problem you have, you can take them to court for that. You can also definitely take them to court if they fail to provide heat during the winter. And if the gas line is the issue, your landlord should consider taking action immediately by contacting an expert in gas line repair in San Jose, CA.

If you want cool air during the summer, you’re probably on your own for that. Most apartment buildings do not come with central air. However, many landlords will allow you to purchase and install a box HVAC unit and get Memphis heater installation or AC installation. This can be installed by experts such as this HVAC company Everett, WA or Epic Electric, Heating, Cooling & Plumbing.

Before signing a lease, you should always do some research about that building and the landlord. Find all the information you can to see if they are a slum lord.

Some landlords are notoriously bad. If you find out your would-be landlord treats their tenants poorly, you should keep looking and find another apartment.