So you’ve been searching for a place to live. You’ve looked at a bunch of different homes and apartments, driven all over town, and have finally decided on the one you want. It’s perfect. But before you whip out the pen and commit to something, ask the following 10 questions. They could prevent you from making a very costly — and time-consuming — mistake.

1. Which Utilities Are My Responsibility?

Depending on where you live (and how generous the landlord is), utility responsibility may vary. If you’re living in a large apartment complex, you may find that a lot of utilities are covered by your rent. In other cases, it may only be water and sewage, or in the worst case scenario…nothing at all. So make sure you know exactly which utilities are going to be your responsibility, and see if you can get a history of the bills at that address. Some homes are more energy efficient than others, and some homes have additional costs you may not consider (such as fees for constructing new pipelines). When you get the complete picture, you may discover that the utility bills put a unit beyond your reach.

2. How and When Do I Pay My Rent?

You already know what the rent costs, but you also need to know how and when to pay it. These days, many larger apartment leasing companies will take payments online, or through an automated debit system. Private landlords will most likely take a check or banker’s draft, and may want you to mail it, or hand it over in person. There may also be fees for paying online or by check, so ask about that. And of course, ask about late fees and grace periods. You may get up to five days to pay your rent without incurring a penalty.

3. Do I Have to Have Renters Insurance?

Any kind of renters insurance is good to have, even if it covers the bare minimum. But times are tough, and you may not have the money to afford it right now. Your landlord or leasing agency may not care. Or, they may have a very strict renters insurance policy, which could once again put you over your monthly budget and make the apartment off limits. If you are required to have it, shop around and get multiple quotes. Use these quotes as bargaining chips with each insurance company to get the best possible rate that covers more of your possessions.

4. What Is Your Guest Policy?

In this day and age, the vast majority of landlords are not going to care if you have guests for long visits. But, it never hurts to check the rules of the apartment complex or landlord. Even then, it’s a very tricky rule to enforce, so it’s doubtful anything will happen. The problems usually come with guests staying for an extended period of time. If your best friend suddenly becomes homeless and asks to stay in your spare room for a few months, that could have ramifications. And if you decide to move your partner in to live there permanently, you will have to consult the landlord. It’s possible a background check will be needed.

5. Can I Make Improvements?

When you move into a new place, you want it to feel like home. That often means personalizing it with paint, wallpaper, new curtains, maybe even new carpet or tile. This should all be openly discussed with the landlord before you ever sign the lease, and put in writing. It’s quite possible that any improvements you want to make (even a simple coat of paint), will have to be approved first. Even if you think you’re making the place even better (adding a wooden floor for instance), the landlord has every right to take your security deposit when you move out.

6. How Long Is the Lease?

It may seem like an obvious question, but not all leases are created equal. Some landlords may be renting their home out for the summer, and want a tenant for six months or less. Some apartment complexes offer discounts for longer leases. Some leases are month-to-month. You need to know this up front, and also, what kind of fees you will pay to break that lease. It’s possible you’ll be asked to pay two months’ rent to get out of it, and may also lose your security deposit. Other places may be much more relaxed, especially if you find someone to take over the lease.

7. How Much Is the Security Deposit and Do I Get All of It Back?

The typical amount for a security deposit is one month’s rent, but it can vary from place to place. Some may only want a nominal fee — say $300. Now, by law, any kind of security deposit is refundable, that’s why it’s called a security deposit; you put the money down as insurance for the landlord, you get it back if all is well. However, different landlords have different thresholds for wear and tear, and it’s possible you won’t get the whole amount back, especially if you have pets.

8. How Will the Apartment Be Prepared and How Should I Leave It?

These are two different questions, but both relate to the cleanliness and appearance of the apartment. Before you move in, you need to know if the entire place will be cleaned and repaired. You may well be viewing the place before any of this has happened, and may be in for a shock if you move in and the carpets are stained and the lighting is broken. So, get in writing how the home should be delivered and returned. Also, when you move out, you may have to pay for some of those very services that make the home ready for the next tenants. So, ask if you have to have the carpets shampooed, or the place professionally cleaned. If you do, and don’t do it, this fee can come out of your security deposit.

9. What’s the Pet Policy?

Landlords don’t like pets, often for good reason. They sometimes leave a smell, they can tear things, they’re noisy at times, and they can leave nasty surprises on the carpet. For this reason, most places will have some kind of pet policy in place. It may be as simple as “Yes, pets are fine, but don’t let your dog bark all the time.” Other places could impose a nonrefundable fee for the term of the lease to cover additional cleaning, or impose a monthly fee, known as pet rent. Even if you don’t have a pet now, ask about it. You don’t want to have to move out later because you want to get a dog or a cat.

10. How Do You Deal With Maintenance and Emergencies?

Again, this will vary depending on the kind of place you’re looking at. Big apartment complexes usually have a maintenance staff on site, and a simple call to the front desk can be all it takes to get an issue resolved. If you’re renting a home from a private landlord, you’ll want to know up front what kind of response you will get, and how soon. If it’s just a guy renting his house out, and your fence blows down, will it take weeks for the repair to happen? Can you call someone to make repairs, and remove the cost of service from your rent? Do all repairs have to go through the landlord, and are there preferred providers? All this should be asked up front.