10 Landlord Red Flags

Signing a lease requires a lot of trust, thought, and commitment. However, most people sign a lease offered by landlords they don’t know too well. That’s why it’s important to know which red flags to look for.

Pushiness, dodginess, and inaccurate rental site listings are major red flags. It’s also hard to trust a landlord who requires a massive deposit, especially if they request cash. Pay attention to rental site pictures, descriptions, and reviews to see if you’re dealing with an honest landlord.

Signing a lease shouldn’t be as stressful as it often is. Follow along as we highlight 10 red flags to avoid, so you can have an easier apartment-hunting experience.

10 Signs Of A Bad Landlord

1. No Written Lease

Anyone who has moved a few times knows what to expect regarding paperwork. However, dishonest landlords know that many young, inexperienced people don’t know what to look for and may pressure future tenants to move in without ever seeing or signing a written lease. That may seem easy and convenient if you’re 20 years old, but moving in without a lease is the worst-case scenario.

Lease agreements are meant to benefit the landlord and the tenant, and they protect both parties’ interests. There’s no way to know what you’re entitled to or what you’re signing up for without seeing and signing a lease. A sketchy landlord can pressure a tenant to sign an agreement without showing them the full lease. This is a major red flag, and you shouldn’t sign the lease until you’ve reviewed its full content.

2. They Are Dodgy

Landlords are often busy, especially if they own and manage many properties. However, they should at least respond to your questions, concerns, and requests before signing a lease. If a landlord can’t make time for you before you sign, that should raise a big red flag. You should give your potential future landlord a little bit of grace throughout the process as they hear from other applicants and must also manage their properties.

That said, you're also busy and must likely check out other apartments and houses. Pay attention to how your landlord answers questions, and see how transparent they are about important things. If they dodge questions and give brief, uninformative answers, that should tell you a lot about them. It’s not worth pursuing a lease if they are not forthcoming about necessary information.

3. Non-Compliance

Landlords aren’t above the law, and they must comply with local, state, and federal tenancy laws. As a renter, you should familiarize yourself with the National Tenants Bill of Rights and Fair Housing Act. These laws protect renters from discrimination and ensure tenants get a fair shot. Similarly, landlords must create an atmosphere that meets the “Implied Warranty of Habitability” requirements. That means that a landlord must provide utilities, heat, cooling, water, solid walls, and secure doors and windows.

If one of those factors is missing, the apartment in question is uninhabitable. Landlords have a limited amount of time to fix these issues before facing penalties for failing to do so. Finding anything that violates the Implied Warranty of Habitability during an apartment tour is a major red flag. It’s worth asking for an explanation, but you shouldn’t soubt your concerns, as they’re valid.

4. Massive Deposit

You expect to pay a deposit before moving into a new house or apartment. A security deposit is usually around one to two months’ rent, depending on factors such as credit history and state requirements. Before signing a lease, it’s worth researching standard security deposits based on the area and rental cost. No landlord should ask for a massive deposit that exceeds one to two months’ rent upfront. And they shouldn't demand the large deposit be paid in cash.

This is a huge red flag, and a reputable landlord won't do that. A $500 to $1,000 deposit is normal, and pricier deposits are even normal for high-end leases. It’s important to find out if you live somewhere with a cap on security deposits. That way, you’ll know it’s bogus when a sketchy landlord asks more for a deposit.

5. Inaccurate Descriptions

Today, most people use rental listing websites to find apartments and houses in their area. This lets landlords post descriptions, pictures, and prices to entice potential tenants. However, be wary if something looks too good to be true. There’s a “catfishing” equivalent with rental listing websites, and many people have learned that the hard way. For example, you may see some seemingly enticing photos that show just enough without painting a full picture.

When you tour the apartment, you may realize that you only saw the best angles and that the apartment is in much worse shape. A well, some of the promised amenities aren’t actually there, or at least they’re not worth the money. Never sign a lease without touring an apartment or house in person or else you may get duped. Misleading listings are huge red flags, and they show that the landlord is dishonest.

6. They’re Pushy

Nobody likes dealing with a pushy person, especially when a lot of money is at stake. Signing a lease requires a financial investment, and you must also uproot your life. It's a red flag when your potential landlord continually pushes you toward a decision. Reputable landlords don’t need to push potential tenants to sign a lease. They have enough applicants in the mix and enough incoming revenue that there shouldn’t be a rush.

Think twice before signing if the landlord is being or manipulative. Granted, some things may seem pushy, but they’re actually just updates. For example, the landlord may tell you that there are other applicants, which is appropriate. However, there’s no reason to strong-arm you, no matter how many other potential tenants there are.

7. Deferred Maintenance

Landlords typically spend a lot of time cleaning, repairing, and updating apartments and houses when a tenant moves out. They have plenty of time to make the space as comfortable and presentable as possible before showing it to potential tenants. That’s why you should feel at least slightly concerned when touring an apartment with signs of deferred maintenance. This applies equally to the apartment and the surrounding common areas offered for tenants.

If they can’t manage common areas, they may not rush to fix your leaky faucet. Pay attention when touring the apartment and look at the condition of the amenities. The walls, floors, HVAC system, plumbing, and other utilities should be in great shape. If something is off, the landlord should volunteer that information and explain why it hasn’t been fixed. That is a green flag, whereas neglecting such problems is a major red flag.

8. Bad Reviews

One of the best things to do is read as many reviews as possible from past tenants. They should paint a picture of what you can expect from a potential landlord. Not every reviewer is honest, and some may have personal vendettas. However, it’s worth going with the majority when reading reviews. A large number of bad ones can tell you that something is wrong with the landlord’s conduct. Pay attention to find discrepancies between rental descriptions and tenant experiences.

9. Illogical Pricing

It’s easy to tell how much a particular apartment or house’s rent should be if you’ve looked at enough of them. Prices don’t usually vary too much between homes of the same size in the same area. Amenities and the neighborhood can affect the price, but it shouldn’t raise the rent by $1,000. It’s a red flag when landlords charge much more than other landlords for similarly sized homes.

That’s especially true if you know that someone who just moved out was paying much less. Some landlords significantly raise the rent after a tenant moves out, since in this scenario, a landlord can raise the rent as much as they want. However, reputable landlords don’t raise the rent by too much, as they know it will deter most applicants. Compare each apartment's price, lease terms, and amenities with nearby options to see if the pricing makes sense.

10. First-Year Rent Increases

Did you recently sign a lease, get comfortable, and then receive a notice about a rent increase? If so, that rent price increase is illegal if it happened within the first year. Landlords cannot legally raise the rent during a lease’s first year in most municipalities and states. They can raise the rent after that year passes, but they must follow specific guidelines.

These guidelines differ based on location, but they typically restrict landlords to raising the rent once per year. Not all states limit how much a landlord can increase the rent. In that sense, you’re at your landlord’s mercy. Even still, it’s worth researching the local guidelines to ensure your landlord is compliant. If they aren’t, document your findings and present them to advocate for yourself.

Summing It Up

Red flags, such as inaccurate rental site postings, massive deposits, and pushy conversations, should make you think twice about a landlord. A large number of bad reviews can also tell you that the landlord isn’t as honest as they seem. Pay attention to local pricing to see if a landlord is overcharging.

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