How to rent an apartment?

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There are many tricks to rent. On the web you can find countless tips and methods, but what is the guide to renting a flat? Do not lose attention because today the team of nphp.com.pk tell you everything you need to know to rent safely. Very attentive! 

What do you have to take into account before renting an apartment?

The most important thing when renting an apartment is to make sure that you will be able to pay it in the long term.  And that includes, of course, paying the bills, not just the rent.

You also have to count on the fact that, before making the transfer, the owner will ask you to pay a deposit and pay the first month’s rent in advance.

But in addition to that, before you start looking you should ask yourself other questions:

• For how long do you want to rent an apartment? : On many occasions, the owner will ask you for a minimum stay of one year, although you can find other offers for shorter periods. Keep in mind that if you sign a contract for a certain period, the owner can ask you for compensation if you want to terminate it before the agreed term.
• What rent can you afford?  Think about the rent you can afford and calculate that it should be around 35% of your monthly income. This figure is indicative, according to financial experts.
• Do you have all the documentation? : The basics are your identity documents (and residence permit in case you are an immigrant), although the owner may ask you for other documentation that proves your financial solvency, such as your bank history or your latest payroll. Of course, identity documents must be current.

If you have already calculated what rent you can afford and you have the documentation in order, it is time to find the apartment that best suits your circumstances. Let’s see some tips to choose the best way.

The best ways to find a rental apartment

Here is a very comprehensive step-by-step guide to help you find the perfect apartment for you. At Capital Smart City you have the wonderful opportunity to invest in a number of different rental apartments of different sizes.

Register in real estate portals

It is essential to register on the main search pages for apartments in Pakistan. In addition to registering, you have to subscribe to daily newsletters that can include flats that fit your search. Most of these pages offer advanced filters to choose the location, the type of floor, the price and more, so they will make the task much easier.

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Think carefully about the area you want to live

The importance of the location of a flat is demonstrated by the price difference between good areas and not so good.  In city centers, prices skyrocket, for example, in the center of Madrid. While as we move away from the center, prices are decreasing.

The problem of location is mainly an economic problem. When choosing one area or another, consider the cost of living in each place. It is possible that renting the most central apartment is more expensive, but you will have to take into account the displacements in case you choose one that is further away.

If you can walk to the center or to your place of work it will be great. But if you have to use public transport you will have to calculate how much you can spend in a month of travel.

What else can you take into account to rent an apartment?

Rate the quality of the neighborhood

The Horizontal Property Law, which regulates neighboring communities, is quite imprecise when it comes to dealing with noise problems. You cannot hire a notary to certify that the neighbor is making constant noises at intolerable hours. But the most appropriate option, which is to report to the City Council and the Local Police, can lead to a costly, long and ineffective judicial procedure.

Check out the community

When you go to visit an apartment with the intention of renting it, pay attention to the community facilities. See if it looks new or, on the contrary, is neglected. If it has a good elevator, if it has good lighting or if there are architectural barriers for the disabled, among other things.

In general, the tenant is the one who normally takes care of the community expenses, but it is essential to make this clear when renting. On the other hand, if it is a relatively new community, find out if it has solar panels. This will allow you to save a little on your bills.

Make a list with the pros and cons of each floor

Make a list of advantages and disadvantages of each floor you visit. 

This will help you clarify your ideas and assess which conditions concern you the most.
For example, if what interests you the most is a quiet place to rest well or study without discomfort, focus on the floors that stand out for it and discard others, even if they have other small advantages.

Rent a flat to an agency

Renting an apartment through an agency has the following advantages:

• They make your search easier:  agencies have wide portfolios of flats available, so through them it is more convenient and faster to find one that suits your needs.
• They offer efficiency in the procedures:  unlike with the lottery for individuals, the agencies comply with the necessary procedures fairly quickly.
• They offer advice:  agencies can save you some tedious procedures and offer you personalized advice, avoiding the abuses that can occur with contracts between individuals.

Everything you have to check when you see a flat

The interior layout of a floor: See if the floor has many useless spaces. As useless spaces we can understand corners that cannot be used for anything. Corridors or terraces that do not offer the possibility of putting chairs or a clothesline. These spaces end up being uncomfortable, although sometimes it is inevitable to have them.

Regarding the distribution, it is common to find, for example, kitchens that are attached to the dining room without separation between spaces. This has advantages and many people love this model, but also the disadvantage that the kitchen generates heat and odors that extend to the rest of the room.

The orientation of the flat: The orientation is important to have good lighting during the day. In Pakistan, as it is the Northern Hemisphere, the best solar orientation for a home is the south orientation.

TIP: You can know how the orientation is with the Google Maps of your mobile by viewing your home and pressing the compass to center it.

The furniture and its condition: The best option is to choose a furnished apartment, because with this we will save the expenses of buying everything necessary to enter to live. Of course, if the owner offers you a furnished apartment, the furniture, appliances and kitchenware must be in good condition.

The electricity, water and gas installations: Ask to see the controls of the installations and ask the owner to explain how everything works. The controls of these facilities tend to be increasingly intuitive, but you must know how to act in the event of an electrical failure or a problem with the pipes.

The costs of supplies

As for the bills, the usual thing is that the costs of supplies (water, electricity, gas, heating, etc.) are paid by the tenant.  Keep this in mind when making numbers, because it can make the final sum significantly more expensive.

If the apartment is more or less new, the heating and hot water are usually gas. The main advantage of gas is that it is cheaper and is not subject to hourly variations in the price of electricity. On the contrary, older installations tend to be electricity, which can generate more expensive bills.

You should also take into account if the apartment has air conditioning or a heat pump for winter. They are comforts that will make you more bearable during intense hot and cold seasons, although bills also skyrocket.

Know your rights and duties as a tenant

The obligations of a tenant are as follows:

• Take proper care of the apartment: keep it clean and treat furniture and appliances well.
• Pay the rent religiously: not doing so is breaking the contract you have signed and can lead to the loss of the apartment.
• Behave well with the neighbors: maintain an appropriate behavior with them and do not create annoyances in the community such as excessive noise, parties, etc.
• Do not sublet rooms without permission: if you do not have the owner’s permission, do not bring anyone to live in your rental apartment to share expenses.

On the other hand, the tenant of a rented home has the right to the following:

• To recover the deposit: if the apartment has been left in good condition, the landlord must refund the entire deposit to the tenant. There is a period of one month from the delivery of the keys for the refund of the deposit. If after that month the tenant has not yet received the deposit, they can claim interest.
• To keep the rent even if the owner of the apartment changes: if the house is registered in the Property Registry with tenants who occupy it, they have the right to maintain the rental contract even if the ownership of the property changes.
• To deduct a part of the rent in the Income Declaration:  the annual amount of the habitual residence rental can be deducted in the Declaration.

Now that we know the most important aspects about apartment rentals, let’s see a summary of everything you have to review before closing the price and conditions with the owner.

Summary of things you have to check before renting an apartment

• Check that the door cylinder works and the keys open.
• Check the doorbell and door phone.
• Check that the doors and windows open and close properly.
• Check the faucets, shower and toilet, that there is pressure, hot water and that the sinks drain water.
• Check the condition of furniture, floors, walls and ceilings, especially those in the kitchen and bathrooms.
• Check the operation of appliances and light bulbs.
• Ask the owner to show you the electricity, water and gas installations, and ask him for instructions on the appliances you need.
• Pay attention to the noises you hear, whether they are produced inside or outside (neighbors, animals, traffic, bars, etc.)

We have reached the end and we hope that this guide has helped you assess the aspects that you should take into account when renting an apartment. The most advisable thing is to put yourself in the hands of an expert who will help you optimize your property in the best possible way, guaranteeing a stable income and a secure rental. At Sky Marketing we are for that. Contact us!

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