In this era of technology, it’s hard to imagine a day without browsing the internet. So, it’s only natural to wonder whether the apartments you are renting have internet access or not. But do rent apartments need to have internet by law?
The law does not confirm the availability of the internet in rented apartments. The tenant has to avail internet for himself if the rental agreement does not specify the responsibility to the landlord. Depending on the area of the apartment, the tenant can have different types of internet service.
This article thoroughly discusses the issue of internet access in rented apartments. In this article, you will know in detail what the law has to say about the matter. It also will guide you on how to get the best internet service for you in a rented apartment.
Do Rentals Include The Internet?
It depends on the particular agreement between the tenant and the landlord. If the contract says that the landlord will provide internet services to the tenant, the rent will include the cost of the internet. Otherwise, landlords are not liable for providing internet service to a tenant. The laws still do not recognize the internet as a mandatory requirement for tenants.
What Is The Law?
The federal and state laws in the USA regarding landlords and tenants make it mandatory for landlords to provide a habitable home to the tenant. By the word “habitable,” the court means a safe place with all the utility services. And the utility services include electricity and effective heating and plumbing systems.
However, the law does not mention anything about internet access. So, the law does not make it obligatory for landlords to provide internet services to their tenants.
So, according to the law, the tenant has to find a suitable way of accessing the internet in his house. The tenant can only get help from the law if the landlord fails to ensure other utilities like electricity, heating, and plumbing.
Sometimes all the necessary utilities may work well when you rent your apartment, but they might become dysfunctional after a while. In that case, you have to contact the landlord and demand a quick repair of the failed utility systems.
If the landlord fails to respond quickly, you can get help from the law for legal action and compensation.
Some Landlords Provide Internet Access
The internet has become a mandatory part of the modern lifestyle. Most of the tasks of our daily life need internet access. Some realistic landlords understand it and provide a solution for internet access regardless of whether it is in the law or not.
So, while renting an apartment, ask the landlord if there is any internet service available in that apartment.
Some other landlords provide internet access for their tenants if there is competition in that area for renting apartments. If the rental market is tenant-dominant, the landlord will try to woo the tenant with lucrative internet facilities.
If most of the landlords in an area provide internet access to tenants, all other landlords will feel pressured to do the same.
What Types of Internet Setup Apartments May Have?
Some newer residential buildings have internet cables installed inside the walls. They are called “Cable-Ready” buildings. If you are renting a cable-ready apartment, you do not need to worry at all about internet access. All you need to do is attach your wifi router and other internet devices to the ethernet ports of the building and start accessing the internet.
If you are lucky enough, you can get a pre-installed fiber internet connection in your newly rented apartment. A fiber optic cable connection ensures the fastest speed of the internet.
You may also find landlords who offer a cable, 5G, or DSL internet connection. All these technologies are enough to ensure uninterrupted internet services for you.
Remember that no landlord will pay your internet bill from their pocket. So, be ready to pay a bit more rent for the apartments that have pre-installed internet services.
You should carefully judge the cost of internet service, which is included in the apartment rent. Compare the internet cost with the extra money the landlord is asking for the internet access.
Do Landlords Have To Provide Wifi?
By law, landlords do not need to provide wifi to their tenants. They only do that if they want to please the tenant. Sometimes, you can make a landlord ensure a wifi facility with strong bargaining. But you cannot take the help of the law to force the landlord to do so. If you have rented a shared house, you are likely to have internet access included in the rent.
There is another technical reason why you cannot find an apartment with wifi easily. Setting up a wifi internet connection involves buying a router and making a contract with an internet service provider.
Following the agreement, the ISP assigns an IP address to your router. So, a landlord can only provide an internet connection, and setting up wifi is your job.
The Solution
Since you cannot go without internet access in this technology-based world, you have to find the best internet solution for you. First, find out how much your landlord is willing to help you with this and finish the rest of the process yourself.
Sometimes you need to drill in the wall or make other modifications to the property to install internet services. Remember to seek permission from the landlord before making any modifications to the property. Otherwise, you may face legal action from the landlord.
Can A Landlord Stop You From Getting Internet?
If the internet service is under the landlord’s name, he can stop your access to the connection. But your landlord can not restrict your internet access if you are paying for it.
However, if you did not seek prior approval from the landlord to drill the wall for installing internet service, he can seek help from the law. And the court can shut down your internet access.
The situation can be critical if the landlord offers a poor internet connection. Then you have to convince the landlord to upgrade the internet connection. Otherwise, you will have to get his permission to install your internet set-up.
How Can I Get Internet When Renting?
If you have signed a contract with the landlord that mentions free internet access, the landlord needs to ensure the service.
Otherwise, you have to contact a local internet service provider to get internet access. You have the following options for internet access in your new apartment.
Fiber: Of all types of internet connections, the fiber-optic connection is the best option for your apartment. It will give you the fastest internet experience. Fiber cable connections are the most reliable ones too. However, fiber connections are the most expensive ones too.
Cable: In a cable connection, data runs over the copper wiring of a coaxial cable. After fiber-optic, this is the most reliable internet connection. They will cost you much less than a fiber connection.
DSL: DSL internet connection uses the old landline phone network. They are not as fast as cable connections. However, they will cost you the least. Besides, they are widely available.
Satellite: Satellite internet connections use signals coming down from satellites in space. The speed and cost of satellite connections are not favorable for any client. But it is available from any point in the world.
Final Words
Do renting apartments need to have internet? -Of course, they do. But the question is, who needs to take responsibility for the internet access in the apartment? Will it be the landlord or the tenant? It will mainly depend on your bargaining capacity and the locality.