Moving into a smart apartment is an exciting milestone for many reasons, chief among them being that your brain will be significantly less burdened with mundane household tasks. But before putting pen to paper on a lease, there are a few crucial details that we as home automation experts suggest you ask your landlord about. When you meet with your property manager, we recommend reviewing the fine print on the following:
Can I customize my smart apartment automation setup?
While many multifamily properties have smart device offerings baked into your lease, it is essential to ask whether or not the automation package can be customized to your needs. For instance, some renters may want energy and access control, but would prefer to skip surveillance. At the very least, you will probably want to be able to customize what devices are set on automation mode. Find out what kind of control you have before moving in.
What exactly can I control remotely in my smart apartment?
Before signing your lease, you should take some time to get acquainted with the entire smart apartment platform, including the mobile app which will let you control things like thermostat, access, and surveillance remotely. Be sure to ask your property manager if there are any training materials provided to better understand the full power of your new system.
What happens if I have a technical issue?
While smart apartment technology continues to become more and more reliable with each year, it is still worthwhile to ask about what technical support looks like before you move in. If something breaks or you need additional instructions, how soon can your property manager get someone on the premises? What happens if something appears to be broken when you are away on an extended trip?
What can I do to maintain top notch security in my smart apartment?
Making the transition to an automated apartment can feel liberating in many ways, but there are definitely a few things to adjust to. Before signing your lease, make sure your property manager has clear guidelines on how to keep features like your smart lock completely secure, and ask what sort of back up measures he or she has in place to keep everything safe from intruders.
Will there be any additional fees for our smart devices, or are those costs baked into rent?
It’s important to go into the lease with a full understanding of your property manager’s pricing model for your smart apartment devices. Be sure to ask your property manager if the smart apartment plan is already factored into the rent cost, or if it will be additional. It is also important to ask if custom packages will run at different costs, or whether use of the smart apartment platform has a flat rate.