The ABC of renting

In accordance with fair rental practices, the lessor must ensure the safety of the keys and locks for the rental apartment. Keys are handed over after the tenant has signed for them. A sufficient number of keys must be provided in relation to the number of residents. Three keys per apartment or one key per resident plus one spare key can be considered a reasonable number. The lessor must have additional keys made at the request of the tenant and at tenant’s own expense. At the end of the lease, the tenant shall return the keys received and any additional keys made during the lease period.

For the duration of the lease period, the tenant is responsible for the safekeeping of the keys and is required to use careful consideration of who is allowed to use them. Information that identifies the apartment may not be kept on the keys or key chains.

According to the law, the move-out date is the first working day after the date of termination of the lease agreement. Thus, if the agreement ends on a Friday, the move-out date is the following Monday. If the Monday is a holiday, the move-out date is Tuesday. The tenant must leave half of the apartment on the move-out date for the lessor’s use. On the day after the move-out date, the tenant must hand over the entire apartment, empty and cleaned, to the lessor. Other premises in use on the basis of the lease must also be emptied.

It is also possible to agree that the move-out date is the last day of the agreement, in which case the apartment must be completely cleaned and handed over to the lessor on the move-out date. In such cases, the agreement must unequivocally specify the agreement made concerning the move-out date. According to the law, the tenant is obliged to pay rent for the time of possession of the apartment if he or she continues to use the apartment after the termination of the lease agreement. Time of possession refers to the time during which the tenant actually uses the apartment for living or storing goods.

The condition of the rented premises shall be inspected prior to the tenant taking possession and when the tenant surrenders the apartment back into the lessor’s care. According to the law, the tenant must take good care of the rented premises and the related equipment and furnishings in the premises. If the tenant notices a fault in the apartment that could cause damage, he or she must immediately take appropriate measures to prevent the damage. This can mean protective measures or notifying the authorities, company representatives, or the lessor.

Whenever possible, the tenant must inform the lessor in writing of any faults and other deficiencies that appear in the apartment. If the fault or deficiency threatens the condition or structures of the apartment, notification must be given immediately in accordance to the law. Whenever possible, the lessor should confirm that he or she has received the tenant’s notification by, for example, e-mail. If the lessor is responsible for correcting the deficiency, the law obliges the lessor to initiate these measures within a reasonable period of time. However, if the deficiency relates to a matter essential to the use of the apartment, repairs must be initiated immediately. The repair must be performed in a manner that causes the tenant as little disturbance as possible. If the apartment contains a machine or furnishing that requires more precise upkeep or servicing, the lessor shall provide the tenant with the necessary instructions in writing.