If you are looking for a place to rent, then it might be wise to make sure that the place you have chosen is safe and legal. Here are a few tips that the Department has put together to help you identify illegal dwellings.
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First and foremost, you must know the market. If the unit advertised is significantly lower than other apartments in the same category.
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Be wary of words like basement or attic. Rooms with such words on their advertisement often means the apartment will not have adequate exits.
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Apartments or rooms that do not have windows or at most, very small windows are often found either in an illegal cellar or basement apartments. Sometimes, landlords will even go to the lengths of describing rooms with very small windows as “sunny” just to entice renters. Avoid these rooms are these are often illegal and not safe for occupancy.
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Take note of the word flex. This word implies that the apartment can be changed into a multi-bedroom unit with the use of pressurized walls. Keep in mind that installing and constructing walls without the appropriate permits from the Department are illegal.
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If the ad says “utilities included” should raise your red flag. An owner may not want utilities under another name connected to their property because those inhabitants would violate the legal occupancy of their building.
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Don’t go for apartments with odd layouts. This can be described as unique or interesting, but they are often illegal, e.g. a shower installed in the kitchen.
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If the owner refused to give out the actual address of the apartment, then it’s time to be cautious. Owners who advertise illegal apartments often ask potential renters to meet somewhere else before divulging the address to avoid possible regulations or penalties.
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If the landlord requires a tenant to have a separate P.O. Box, then it is quite possible that the apartment is illegal. It is best to be wary.
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Be suspicious of a landlord who do not want to draw up a lease or wants a month-to-month agreement or require cash payments. These are tell-tale signs that the apartment is illegal.
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A tenant should be able to access all available exits either directly from the apartment or a public hallway.
These are just a few for anyone looking for an apartment or if you are already renting an apartment and notice that you are party to one or more of these scenarios, then maybe it’s time to check with the Department whether the apartment you are renting is indeed safe and legal.