Introduction:
For years Afghan refugees entered the USA though SIV visas or UNHCR refugee cases but from the past two years nearly 100,000 Afghans entered through evacuation process or on the bases of humanitarian visas and this process was still ongoing.
Besides other humanitarian support programs, the newly arrived Afghans are provided rented apartments comprised of two, three or four rooms by supporting NGOs temporally in areas which is not expensive and close to these NGOs offices where they could easily contact them. When the immigration NGOs stop support to the newly arriving families then they have the option to get homes for themselves and they have the right to choose the place and the house because they themselves pay the rent.
This article is for the newly arriving Afghans and includes instruction regarding renting a house and some other necessary information.
House renting guide:
Still finding a house is a difficult task in the US and finding an inexpensive house is even difficult task. Inexpensive house is the one which could be rented on 30 percent of your total gross income.
If there is no shortage of houses or apartments in the US, it is still difficult to find a house on a rent because during signing a rent contract an individual proof of employment, past history of house rent and other necessary documents which could proof that you are a suitable person to be allotted a house.
People newly arrived in the USA and who are not suitable to get house through USRAP to be given a house should live in his and his family members house for some times so that he or she should get a job and have credited account.
While searching for a rental house you should consider the following points.
- Explore and know your new society, identify areas where homes are inexpensive, get calculator and make your calculation with the help of the following link to know the rate of rent house in your area
- Contact the resettlement authority in your area, there is possibility that some scheme may exists on the bases of which the newly arrived individuals could get support in finding rental house
- Find the source of government free of cost homes, there is possibility that people like you may be eligible. Such sources could be find in the local municipalities, counties and general offices that provide rental homes
You can also search the USA house building and rural rehabilitation website
1- Ask the house owner if there are some other options for proving yourself as a decent inhabitant such as accepting the work offer letter or accepting co-signer or guarantor. Co-signer is the one who offer guarantee for the house rent payment.
2- If possible, you can rent a room in an apartment; in this way there may be no need to check your work record. During house search try to avoid unconfirmed advertisement such as facebook market plus and gregz list websites. Use credible platform and websites for getting a decent house for rent.
3- Judge the situation well and make sure that you are safe before you make the payment in a place where you want to live or share with another person
Try not to be deceived from individuals under the name of offering house to you. Some fake advertisements that claims to give you inexpensive house or pledge free house package should be avoided.
If you call victim to rent fine or your roommate cause any problem you should call 911
Types of rental houses in USA
Knowing the basic knowledge of how to get rental house in the USA may help you find a rent house because it is not a simple task. Following are the main types of rental houses in the USA
- From 6 to 12 or up to 100 apartments’ building
- Apartments divided into two or three parts such as two apartments or duplex, three apartments or triplex or few apartments
- Hotels that also included kitchens of living rooms
Finding a rental house is linked with the location such as in bigger cities you may find rental apartments and outside the cities you may find mixture of apartments and homes.
Searching for rental house:
When you rent a house so you make payment to the owner of the house on which you have agreed on monthly bases. The house rental contract is called lease.
This contract allow you to live in the house for at least one year. Some other rental places such as hotels are for short period — a day, a week or a month.
Temporary rent may be for transitional period so that you can find a permanent place for living for yourself. You can find more information in this regard in the following website.
https://www.settlein.support/hc/ps/articles/7565895015069
Rates of rental houses:
Market rate: Rent rates set by house owners keeping in mind the demand in the market is called market based rate. This rate could be different due to the location of the house and usually its rent rate is very high.
Mixed income houses: This refer to houses that have rent apartments on the market rate as well as general rate and discounted rate for some houses under certain circumstances, the rates are different depending the location. The number of these houses is limited and cannot be found in every house. There is growing demand for such houses because they are close to markets, clinics and general transport station.
Government or General Houses: They are houses which are paid by the federal or local government so that people who live under poverty line could get inexpensive rental house. These houses are paid on the bases of income percentage and there one had to wait for getting such houses. Individuals who are suffering from poverty and unable to pay rent are entitled to these houses.
Section 8 houses: These houses are also called Housing Choice Voucher Program are also sponsored by the government and the owner of the house get payment from the government so that eligible people could rent it at the low price. People who could provide small amount in rent and fit in the poverty criteria are eligible for the scheme.
Family income:
This is an income that all family members are earning against their work. You should not rent a house that could cost more than 50 percent of you total family income, the better would be that you offer 30 to 35 percent of your family income in rent.
In USA houses are rented on the bases of the number of rooms, studios are without bedrooms there is only one room in which kitchen and living room, it is best for singles and couples.
You should also note that living in government houses has its rules, regulations and limitations regarding the number of inhabitants in a rental house.
You should remember that there is shortage of rental houses in the USA so when you search a house you should be consistent, get your full support from the resettlement authority or you can also seek support from friends and groups in your society.
Understanding principles of renting house:
Lease contract is an agreement which is signed between you and the house owner, before signing the agreement you should understand what is written in you lease contract, what are your rights and privileges while living in the house and what are you responsibilities. In the lease contract the house owner is called Landlord and the customer is called Tenant.
Rent Period:
The rent contract will make it clear the duration of your stay in your apartment, usually the lease contract is for one year and your rent documents would identify the time when you have to leave the house. During the one year contract the customer should pay rent each month and it would identify that when you have to inform the house owner about leaving the rented apartment or house or you want to renew the contract. This usually happen 90 days or 30 days before the lease contract end.
If you want to leave the house before the time of contract you have to pay the fine or you have to pay the rent of the remaining months in the contract, if you want to renew the contract there is the possibility of surge in the rate of rent. The amount of surge in the rent may belong to your house owner or to the local rates.
Rent:
The rent contact include information regarding the renting rules, it defines the time of monthly rent payment or the amount of fine which should be paid in case of delay.
Guarantee amount payment, prepayment, first last rent: Prepayment is the amount deposited in the bank by the house owner. The amount is repaid to the customer at the end of the contract when the house is not damaged.
The rent contract will identify the prepayment amount to you, usually it is equal to the one month rent of the house, sometimes it is more than the house rent. When the contract is ended the house owner will check the house, if there is something damaged the cost of it would be cut off from your prepayment amount and the remaining amount would returned. You are advised to keep the record of everything while renting a house and leaving it, you can take photographs or record the video of the house, besides prepayment most of the time you need pay the first and last month rent earlier.
Number of people:
The rent contract may specify the number of people who can live in the house, the number of inhabitants should not exceed from whatever is agreed upon in the contract.
Electricity, Gas, Water:
The lease contract identifies what you need to pay for in addition to the rent such as electricity, gas, water and others. In some contracts there is possibility that one or few of these expenses may be included, sometimes you may be asked to pay for all. It is very important to know the condition of heater and cooler in your house. You may be charge in line with the expenses of house owner, former person who rented the house by the electricity or Gas Company.
Other Charges:
Sometimes the lease contract may clarify that what are the other charges that you need to pay such as garbage payment, water, snow learning or grass cutting payment. These expenses are not regular but there is the possibility that you may be asked for so all of them should be included in the contract.
Rules:
Certain rules and regulations are written in the contract which the house owner expect the customer to implement them, this may include general responsibilities such as making sure the cleanliness of the house and surrounding, avoiding noise, storing energy, refraining from keeping pets, not to change the apartment physical nature, not renting it to another person or not to install television antenna on the roof. This very important that you read all the pages of the contract and understand them well to know what is allowed to do and what is not allowed, if you agree to rules then you may be allowed to live in the house.
Eviction:
House eviction is a legal process initiated by the house owner who inform the customer regarding the lease contract end and pave the way for dismissing the rent contract. You may get the eviction letter or it may be handed over to you by an assigned person. If you are evicted from the house this may have impact on you future efforts to rent a house.
Avoiding rent payment is the main reason behind eviction, in most provinces when a customer avoid rent payment on time then according to the law the house owner inform the customer through a letter to pay the rent in specific days or leave the house. If you don’t pay head to the letter from the house owner then he could legally force you to leave the house.
In some provinces there is no need warned the customer though letter to leave the house, in case of rent payment denial the house owner could force you to leave the house on the bases of contract. It is important to pay your rent on time and keep in touch with the house owner always and informed him from every development. In case you cannot pay the rent you should inform the house owner, in this case he is not bond to listen to you but he can offer you concession.
Violating the contract rules may cause your eviction such is if it is written not to keep pets in the house and you violet the rule, if there is certain number of people who should live in the house and you violate this rules. If you get warning letter then act immediately to resolve the issue.
If you are involved in illegal activities this may also cause your eviction. If you are not sure about the state of an activity then you can consult with your community services centre and share your problem.
Talk directly to your house owner and explore ways to resolve the problem if you are faced with eviction.
If you cannot find help during direct meeting with the house owner then seek legal support, the resettlement authority can refer you to local authorities and you can get free of cost legal support.
Being a responsible house renter you also have rights, nobody could force you to vacate when you pay your rent in line with the rent contract.
In case of unnecessary demands, presser from the house owner you can get legal support from a lawyer so that you can stay in the house until the end of the contract.
Note: Above information are taken with the help of ‘Settle In’ website.
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