Apartment Definitions

Apartment Glossary

a glossary of apartment related terms and their definitions

Assignment of Lease – Each lease usually comes with specific rules regarding how a lease can be assigned if for some reason you need to get out of the lease. Assigning a lease essentially is the same as transferring your lease to a new person or tenant.

Conditions Specified – The conditions listed in the lease must be followed just as specified otherwise some sort of penalty may be imposed.

Guarantor – A 3^rd party company or person that agrees to pay your rent or part of your rent if for some reason you cannot; generally used by renters with bad credit.

Jointly and Severally Liable – Jointly and severally liable renters are responsible for everything in the rental property as a group rather than individually; this means everyone on the lease is equally responsible.

Notice – A method used to convey or communicate a specific message to the renter from the landlord or property owner; generally specific notice terms are listed in the lease

Reasonable wear and tear -A standard perception of what type of noticeable wear can be seen on a property during the term of a lease; each company will see this differently so it is important to keep everything as undamaged as possible.

Right to privacy – The concept that a landlord cannot simply enter an apartment without permission or purpose; it does not completely restrict a landlord from entering an apartment though.

Security Deposit – A specific amount of money required by the apartment landlord when a new tenant first moves in; often apartments require one or two months of rent in advance as a security deposit in order to protect the apartment owner.

Lease Term – Specified length of the lease, generally in months or years.

Waiver of Lease Provisions – Waiver specifying that the landlord does not waive specific rights simply by not acting immediately; a landlord can essentially wait as long as they wish to issue penalties and fees after an incident.

Habitat Warranty – A lease will generally guarantee that the landlord is responsible for providing a habitable environment. After an emergency or major problem the landlord is required to find some sort of comparable living establishment for the renters.

Accent Furniture - Items of furniture which are only used to be decorative rather than functional; these items may be useful in certain cases though they are generally not used daily.

Accessible Apartment – An apartment designed or modified specifically to make it easier for handicapped tenants to live in them; commonly includes things such as bars or entrance ramps to make it easier for the renters.

Actual Cash Value – the cumulative value of everything in an apartment; actual cash value (ACV) is commonly used by insurance companies in the event of an emergency.

Amenities – Actual features included in a building or property, generally things which are not considered to be standard in many other buildings.

Appliance - Any piece of equipment which is used to make life easier or simpler; ovens refrigerators and washing machines are all considered to be appliances.

Applicant – A person who is applying to become a renter or lessee in a specific apartment or apartment complex.

Balcony – An amenity found on many apartments which gives tenants access to an outdoor ledge or patio; generally found in many apartments which are not on the first floor.

Blockbusting – A tactic used by many brokers or agents in which they try to scare or force an owner to sell or rent property by convincing them that things are changing or going downhill in a specific area.

Courtyard - Outdoor area of a property which is generally surrounded by other buildings or apartments; the courtyard is often considered to be a shared area in apartment complexes.

Cozy – A euphemistic or sarcastic way to describe an apartment which is much smaller than anticipated.

Décor – The design and decoration of a room or building including wall color, furniture location, and other design ideas.

Doorman – Designated person assigned to greet visitors, residents, and anyone else who enters the building.

Door trim – Decorative frame used to surround doors, often similar to or the same as window trim and other decorative trim in a room.

Duplex – Two story apartment or home which may be a single apartment which is connected by stairs or two completely independent apartments.

Eat-in Kitchen – Kitchen in an apartment which is large enough and designed for eating in.

Fair Housing Act – Federal law which prevents property owners from discriminating against potential renters based on numerous factors.

Foreclosure – Legal process in which a bank or lending industry takes ownership of a property due to late payments.

Full Bathroom - A bathroom in a home which includes a standard toilet as well as a full shower or bath tub; a contrast to a half bathroom which generally does not have a shower.

Furnished Apartment - Apartment for rent which includes all necessary furniture for living.

Galley Kitchen – Much smaller kitchen which is used only for preparing food rather than eating; generally small enough that everything is within reach for the cook.

Garden Apartment – Small apartment complex which generally has numerous buildings and floors with flowers and gardens between them.

Grab Bar - Supportive bar which is commonly found in handicap and accessible apartments; these are generally used in bathrooms to make it easier for handicapped tenants.

Guest Card – A sheet of information which the leasing agent will use to record important information regarding tenants.

Guide Dog – Specially trained canine which is often used to guide visually impaired people.

Half Bathroom – A small bathroom which includes a toilet and sink but does not include a shower or bathtub of any sort; considered to be the opposite of a full bath.

HUD – Abbreviation for the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development; a government agency created to help homeowners and renters.

Kitchenette – A small area inside a home or apartment which is meant to be a smaller version of a full size kitchen, due to size it will likely not include everything that a normal kitchen would.

Landlord – Person in charge of renting a specific property; may or may not be the owner.

Late Charge – Fee or fine which a tenant may be forced to pay when they fail to pay rent on time.

Lease – Contract agreed upon by both the renter and the landlord which generally lays out all the important details.

Lease Addendum - Specific portions of a lease which will usually list requirements to be met by the renter and landlord.

Lease Term - Length of time that a lease is active or current; lease terms are generally negotiated by the landlord and renter.

Letter of employment – A letter provided with an apartment application which many landlords use as a way to verify if potential renters do in fact have a job as they say they do.

Linguistic Profiling – A type of profiling which is based on speech and writing ability including things such as grammar and accents; along with other types of profiling and discrimination this is illegal.

Listings - Specific databases in print or online which showcase homes and apartments for sale or rent.

Loft Apartment - Wide open apartment which is generally a single room due to the simple design.

Low Income Apartment – Apartment which is part of special housing programs aimed specifically at people with low incomes and previous rental problems.

Market Rate Apartment – Apartment with no legal or other restrictions on rent leaving the landlord open to deciding how much they wish to charge.

Murphy Bed – Bed designed to save space in smaller buildings and apartments by standing upright against a wall or in a closet.

Name Profiling – A type of profiling which is based on how a person’s name looks or how a landlord thinks it might sound; it is illegal just like any other type of profiling.

Ottoman – Low seat without arms or a backrest which of often used as a footstool or other decorative piece of furniture.

Peephole - Small glass hole which allows a home owner to see who is at the door without actually opening it; used as a security feature.

Prospect - A potential renter who is simply visiting to see a property, generally you are a prospect before becoming an applicant.

Protected Class - Group of people or characteristics which is protected from discrimination under federal law.

Railroad Apartment - Apartment design which is laid out in a fairly straightforward direction and order with most rooms branching off a single hallway.

Reasonable Accommodation - Special changes or improvements which are required for the landlord to make an apartment more accessible to a handicapped tenant.

Rent - The amount of money a tenant is required to pay monthly to cover the cost of the apartment.

Rent in Arrears - The amount of money owed to the landlord after the designated due date.

Renter’s Insurance - Insurance designed for apartment living which covers everything or most things inside the apartment without actually covering the apartment itself.

Replacement Cost - The complete cost of all items which are covered by renter’s insurance and including the actual amount of money it would take to replace everything.

Retaliatory Eviction – An eviction tactic used by landlords after a tenant does something which the landlord does not like; generally illegal for the landlord to do.

Screening - Apartment complex’s system used for checking the history of an applicant in order to determine if they should rent the property.

Security Deposit – Designated amount of money required by a landlord to cover any potential damages and the first, last, and possibly more months of rent.

Service Animal – Special animal trained to help handicapped people live their lives easier with less help.

Slumlord - Slang term used to describe a landlord who cares very little about tenants or the actual quality of the apartments they own; slumlords are generally landlords who care more about profit than anything else.

Steering - Intentionally selecting where certain tenants are allowed to rent based on things such as race or other protected characteristics.

Studio – Single room apartment with an attached bathroom; the kitchen and bedroom are generally just slightly offset from the main room.

Sublease – A secondary lease between the primarily lessee and a subsequent renter which will occupy the apartment.

Sublessee - Secondary tenant which lives in the apartment based on the sublease.

Sublessor – Original tenant who is responsible for the sublease and is therefore a middle man between the landlord and lessee.

Sunken – Room or rooms which are slightly lower than other rooms; generally a single step down when entering a sunken room.

Tax Credit Property – Apartment properties which are designated as low income apartments so that the landlord can receive special tax breaks and tax credits.

Tenant – The actual person that lives in the apartment and pays rent.

Trundle Bed – Special bed designed to save space by sliding underneath another twin size bed until it is needed.

Utilities – Necessary services which are generally provided by a 3^rd party company which may or may not be included in your monthly rent.

Voice Profiling – Discrimination based upon how a person sounds or talks; as with other types of profiling this is illegal.

Walk up – Apartment which is accessible only on foot that requires walking up stairs to access; upper level apartments without an elevator.

Wall Curio – Cabinet or other storage system mounted to the wall to display small or fragile objects.

Wall Décor - Any decorative wall hanging which serves entirely to make a room or apartment look better.

Window Treatment – Some sort of covering used to make a window or group of windows look better while also restricting the amount of light that enters the apartment.