How Safe is Your Apartment?

Even if you find a beautiful, well-maintained apartment in your price range, it’s important to ensure the property’s safety before signing the lease. Take a few minutes to discuss safety concerns with the landlord. The more you know about a property, the more comfortable you’re likely to be while living there. Not sure how to start the conversation? We’ve compiled a list of questions to steer you in the right direction.

• What is the property’s emergency evacuation plan? Where should I go in the event of fire, flood or other disasters?
• Where is the nearest hospital and fire station? And is there a nearby emergency shelter facility?
• After calling 911, is there another number I should call to alert property management about an emergency situation?
• Are there industrial fire extinguishers near my unit and in common areas? How do I use them if I need to?

In addition to asking these questions, ensure that the landlord has your emergency contact information so they can get in touch with you if you’re away when something happens. This includes one or two people that management can call if they can’t reach you for whatever reason.

Another consideration is where you store your sensitive documents. If you keep them inside of your rental unit, store them in a fireproof safe to protect passports, birth certificates, family heirlooms and more from disaster. Or, you can also store these belongings off-premises in a safe deposit box.

Want even more protection? Renters insurance covers your assets from a variety of events that could damage or destroy them.

We’ll help you get started. Call Buschbach Insurance for more information on renters insurance.