Before you sign: a Silicon Valley renter's checklist.

Updated November 6, 2026 · By b. (findwithb.com)

These are the checks that mattered most across 17 homes b. toured in person in Palo Alto and San Mateo, plus California rules every renter should know. They are facts and questions, not legal advice.

Check in the home

Cooling. Ask what cools each room. 9 of the 17 homes had none.
The electrical panel. Open the panel door. Zinsco or Pushmatic labels, screw in fuses or only a few circuits are worth asking about; 6 of 17 homes had one of these.
Laundry. Open the closet. Laundry claims were among the listing claims most often wrong.
Carbon monoxide alarm. If there is a gas furnace, range, water heater or fireplace, look for one, and ask the manager to confirm where it is; combined smoke and carbon monoxide alarms can look like plain smoke alarms.
Appliance ages. The label inside the refrigerator or dishwasher door gives the model and often the year. Older refrigerators cost more to run.
The water heater. California requires water heaters to be braced or strapped against earthquakes.
Sound. Visit at the time of day you would be home, stand in the bedroom with the windows shut, then open, and listen for traffic, neighbors and appliance hum.
Utilities. Ask which utilities you pay. In one home, the listing said heat and utilities were included while the property's own welcome sheet said residents pay all utilities.
The photos. Ask whether the listing photos show the exact unit. Many listing photos showed a model or a different unit.

California rules worth knowing

Security deposits. For most rentals, a landlord may ask for no more than one month's rent; some small landlords may ask for two. Civil Code 1950.5, as amended by AB 12.
Move in and move out photos. Landlords must photograph the unit at the start of tenancies that began on or after July 1, 2025, and when you move out, to support any deposit deductions. Civil Code 1950.5, as amended by AB 2801.
Rent increases. Under the Tenant Protection Act, many apartments are limited to yearly increases of 5% plus local inflation, never more than 10%. Buildings less than 15 years old and some single family homes and condos are exempt. Civil Code 1947.12.
Carbon monoxide alarms. Homes with a gas appliance, a fireplace or an attached garage must have carbon monoxide alarms. Health and Safety Code 17926.
Application screening fees. California caps the fee a landlord may charge to screen an application and adjusts it each year. Civil Code 1950.6.

Questions for the manager

Do the listing photos show this exact unit?
Which utilities do I pay, and what did they cost last summer and last winter?
What cools the bedroom, and may I use a portable unit?
When was the electrical panel last inspected or replaced?
Where is laundry, and what does a load cost?
What existing damage is already recorded for this unit?

The numbers on this page come from what 17 in person rental tours showed.