So you found a cute little cottage on a country estate, and you're excited about leaving the hustle and bustle behind. Before you call the movers and haul all of your belongings off to Howard's End, do yourself a favor and consult our cottage and gatehouse checklist. There are all kinds of pitfalls to avoid, especially if you're going to be living in close quarters with your landlord-to-be.
1) Insist Upon Meeting the Owner
Many couples are enthralled when they only have to deal with a realtor in securing a cottage or gatehouse. Their first inclination is that the owner simply doesn't want to be bothered and that means he or she will respect your space. There are plenty of other reasons that he or she may try to avoid you until you're tied into a twelve-month lease agreement.
2) Clearly Establish Your Responsibilities as a Tenant
Don't just sign your lease agreement without reading the fine print. Are you responsible for mowing your part of the lawn, or worse yet, the grounds of the entire estate? Other important issues are heating oil or gas, snow removal, trash and recycling.
3) Find Out if the Owner Has Any Pets
Most might only think to ask if they are allowed to have pets, but it is a good idea to find out if the owner has any, too. You don't want to move in and find out that there's a rabid rottweiler itching to bite a big chunk out of your ass. And if there is a dog on the property, you might find yourself stepping in something that was a lot easier to avoid in the city.
4) Ask About Your Water Source
Consider yourself lucky if the homeowner or realtor tells you that you'll have public water. If, however, you find out that you would be hooked up to a well, there are potential problems to be avoided. Many old estates or larger properties have leaky oil tanks that have not been properly filled in or removed. If oil seeps out and hits the well, usually that means the well is shot. And your landlord might not be willing to have a new one drilled. That might mean you could get evicted, or worse yet, stuck in a lease with an unsatisfactory temporary solution that a court or health inspector might find acceptable. Simply ask about abandoned oil tanks, or go to the municipal building and ask the appropriate person if any paper work has been filed about oil tanks at your new address.
It's also important to ask about the well's filtration system, how often the filters need to be changed, and whether or not you're responsible for changing them.
5) How Well is it Insulated?
Many side dwellings on estates are converted barns, and they might not have been insulated properly in order to save money. That can mean a hefty gas or oil bill in the winter. Utility bills in these situations can climb well above $500 a month for a one-bedroom house if the furnace is on most of the day.
6) Is There A Foundation and Basement?
Another important consideration is whether or not you have a foundation or basement underneath the cottage or gatehouse. If even part of the house is on the ground you are likely to encounter more bugs in one month than all of the cockroaches you killed while living in Manhattan. It also means that the floors will be freezing cold in the winter (see number five).
7) How long has the house been unoccupied?
If the owner had problems finding a tenant, you might want to ask why. There are usually plenty of young couples looking to move into a nice gatehouse on a large property, so there could be problems if it has been sitting there unoccupied for a long time.
8) If You Have Problems, Can You Call the Repairmen Directly?
The ideal situation to find yourself in is one where the landlord provides you with the names and number of the plumber, electrician and oil or gas company and allows you to call them as needed. That way you don't find yourself without heat in the winter while trying to track down the landlord to get his or her approval. Remember, you won't find a superintendent in a cottage or gatehouse.
9) Does the Owner Get Angered by these Questions?
Asking some tough questions is a good way to feel out the personality of your potential landlord. If he or she deflects your questions or is angered by them, it's best to walk away.
10) Don't Be Intimidated
Remember that you are paying your hard earned money, and you should expect the landlord to live up to his end of the lease agreement. In return, you should always pay your rent on time. Every month. This goes a long way when you're in a pinch and need to ask for a favor. You might find yourself in need of an extra month at the end of your lease, or you could need to leave a month early. Establishing a relationship where both parties meet their responsibilities and nobody is being taken advantage of usually makes everyone's life easier.
Just so you know...
You might look at this list and say I'm being paranoid, but let me tell you about my current situation. About one month after moving into a cottage on a beautiful property that is nestled up against a state park, my wife and I awoke to the sound of gunshots at 2 a.m. Our drunken landlord was firing off his handgun into the woods at a rate of eight shots per burst. Soon after the shooting incident, we found out that he was putting the house on the market. And the house sold... or so we thought. The buyer was about to close on the house when our water started to smell like Quaker State. Our well was contaminated and the owner has yet to do anything about it. So, now we get our non-potable water from a garden hose that runs directly into our water heater.
These are just a few of the problems we've had since moving in last summer. As we await the end of our lease, believe me we wish we went through this checklist. Do yourself a favor and don't take any chances!
