Important amenities that a tenant should check before renting a house.

A common dilemma for prospective tenants when searching for a home on rent is to determine what amenities are necessary and based on that what rental amount of the house should be. “The facilities close to one’s home in metropolitan cities could be costly and only accessible through annual membership. Most people, therefore, prefer basic projects that include fitness centres, children’s playground, intercom, security, etc. People used to prefer stand-alone projects with only basic facilities in non-metro cities to ensure they did not incur high monthly maintenance costs. This trend is now changing, as people in a number of tier 2 towns are also asking for basic facilities for the project,” says Unishire’s, executive director, Vinay K Mehta.

Most common amenities found in a rented house:

1) Safety and security such as intercom, key area control by CCTV, parking lot access with boom barriers, 24×7 security guards, LPG gas detectors, smoke detectors, etc.

2) Lifestyle-based facilities such as clubhouse, gymnasium, play area for kids, indoor sports such as table tennis, squash court, badminton court, etc.

3) Green features such as rainwater harvesting, sewage treatment plant, common area solar power, waste segregation and composting, etc.

Important amenities that a tenant should check before renting a house:

Sushil Raheja, CEO of Raheja Homes, Builders & Developers, suggests that the best choice for residents would be the semi-furnished apartment, with basic amenities, which will ensure comfortable living at affordable prices.

“The attached wardrobes, air-conditioners and kitchen shelves are the basic amenities required by the residents.” There are several online sites that help you find rental flats according to your requirements. In addition, tenants can buy their own furniture or even rent it at the prices of a wardrobe beginning at Rs 500 per month.

Experts emphasize that it makes sense for you to opt for a house in a project with amenities such as a children’s playing area, a party hall, a clubhouse and a simple fitness facility if you have a family that has children and parents included. Moreover, a gym with a lot of electronic equipment may also incur higher maintenance costs for regular service or the repair of equipment.

“It would be nice to have a walking track for families with senior citizens. Such features are helpful and maintenance-efficient as well. Families with children might enjoy having a pool, but maintenance costs are higher as daily cleaning and regular water treatments are required,” added Mehta.

While tenants can compromise some amenities, others such as security, high-rise elevators and power backup, etc., are necessary. Tenants that have their own furniture should check before moving to a new apartment whether the new house can comfortably accommodate their goods.