Renting a Flat in First or Second Hand?
Posted on 23/09/2014
Tenancy is a very common first accommodation for a mover because it does not require any purchase prices. As a tenant, you pay a predetermined rent to the landlord once a month. You have as a tenant usually no opportunity to negotiate the rent since it is already determined through periodic negotiations between the resident’s association representatives and the landlord. If you are interested in affecting your living situation and conditions, contact your local tenants’ association.
The tenancy commonly refers to an apartment but you can also rent other properties, such as an entire house. The advantage of rental properties is that you, as a tenant, do not normally need to pay for reparations etc. The landlord has a responsibility to make sure that the apartment is being renovated on a regular basis and that it maintains a certain standard. While it is important to remember that you as a tenant also have obligations to the landlord. Perhaps the most important and most basic one is to pay the rent on time. But you also have a lot of other obligations such as you have to care for the apartment and that you do not use it for purposes other than what is agreed in the contract. For example if you have rented an apartment in a residential purpose. You must not use it as an office for a company and you may not transfer or lease tenancy to someone else without the consent of the rental-value. A tenant who violates its obligations risks being evicted.
If you don’t want a contract between yourself and a landlord you can always rent in second hand which means that you rent a flat by someone who is a tenant, but needs to go away for a while and wants someone to take care of the place during that time. Subletting must be approved by the landlord; otherwise both you and the first tenant can be evicted. Approval is normally given for a limited time it the tenant wants to move back. The advantage of a second hand accommodation is that you are able to live in an attractive apartment that would otherwise be very difficult to obtain. The downside is that it is a temporary accommodation for about six or twelve months at a time. Flats can be rented both furnished and unfurnished and the tenant may not charge you more than what he or she pays to the landlord (some surcharges may be made if the flat is furnished). If you are renting a house from a house owner, a landlord is not in the picture as a middleman. The house owner will act landlord in this case.
Whether you are interested in renting or buying a home, it is advisable to find out as much as possible about the place that you are interested in before deciding. You don’t want to be standing with a place you hate, pay too much for or having a landlord that doesn’t suit you. Talk to former tenants and neighbors and ask if they were/are happy with the accommodations. Ask to see a sketch of the property, and see if your possible home lives up to your needs. It is almost never the first place that will become your dream home, but by knowing the weaknesses in beforehand you can at least make a proper decision whether it is a home to invest in or not.
