Thought I'd compile this from my previous bad experiences with renting!
1. When choosing a property to rent, ask your agent if they have rented for this landlord before and if they have had any previous complaints/disputes whether they were initiated by the landlord or tenants, its good to get an idea.
2. Keep a good relationship with your agent, once you find one you like! Use them every time you move and send other people their way. It'll build loyalty and they'll be more likely to want to place you with good landlords. They can also be a big help if you ever need a mediator or have any questions about bills or your rental etc.
3. ALWAYS DO AN INVENTORY! Do this ASAP when moving in, if the landlord hasn't initiated one or mentioned it within the first month then keep on at them until it's done. Go through it, sign it and make sure you're agreed on what is and what isn't in the property and the condition of everything (pots and pans, walls etc)
4. Take pictures. If the walls are scuffed, any dents or damage in the tables, the pots are stained, get it all on camera and either email it to your landlord or print them and have them sign them. You don't want to be held responsible for this once it comes to moving time!
5. Get receipts for everything. Every month when you pay rent, anything you have to pay for repairs wise (locks changed etc) as somethings are not your responsibility.
6. Even if it's not in your contract to pay for cleaning when you move out, do it anyway. A maid usually cost €30 odd for a good clean and get a proper dated/headed receipt for this. Then if the landlord tries to charge you extra for cleaning you have proof that you left it in good condition.
6. Before you move out meet at the apartment with the landlord to again go through the inventory. Go through the property. Give them the chance to point out anything they're not happy with and discuss and agree on who should pay (don't be bullied though). Make them sign a document on whatever they agree. Make them sign that they're happy with the inventory and the state of the place and wont ask for any additional money other than pending electricity or water bills, and have your agent witness this.
7. Keep on top of bills. At our last place we paid 100 a month but never actually received a copy of any bills during the entire year and were never told that we were going significantly over. Once we moved out it turned out we'd been using quite a bit more and were hit with an additional €750 bill. Hard to pay in one go, but if we had known that from month one we could have either given him a little more each month or looked at what we were doing wrong to cost that much!
Do you have any handy tips to add?
Renting Tips
note 3 - have the pictures digitally dated if possible
note 6 - make sure you have a signed and agreed set of meter readings for start and finish of tenancy.
note 7 - make a point of finding out about bills, how they are calculated and the rates that should be paid - use the online calculators via enemalta/ arms...makes sure you get an original copy of the actual "2-pages" bill and not an extract on blank paper. Check the number of consumers and your eco discounts if you are entitled to them!
Nice work !!!
Im sure it will help the newbies 
thanks.
Been reading your story, sounds like a horror. Is there any Renters Association or Organisation, which protects rights of renters for an annual fee ?
Eagle wrote:Been reading your story, sounds like a horror. Is there any Renters Association or Organisation, which protects rights of renters for an annual fee ?
chuckle :-)
reminds me of a couple of TV shows - GAME FOR A LAUGH, BEADLES ABOUT AND WITHOUT A TRACE....
Very nice article, but based on my previous experience I think you forgot to mention a few very important points.
Before you move in, always make sure/check if there is, or there will be any construction done to the block you are moving into or a nearby block.
When I moved to one of the apartments, it looked it was finished. When I asked the landlord if they'd be building some more (like a penthous etc.) he of course said that the building was finished and no further construction would be done.
How surprised I was when after 2 months, they started building another floor on the top and then a penthous.
They would start work 6 in the morning (which is against the law as i think the earlierst you can start is 7am).
They would build even on public holidays/Sundays and didn't care. I had to treaten I'd call the police, and they'd stop, but they'd do the same thing again next week.
As my flat was on the groundfloor, how surprised I was when one morning after I've woke up, through the window of my bedroom I saw two builders doing some work in my backyard (without even asking about the permission if they could enter there - they used a ladder). Really - be careful if you don't want to have a terrible noise for a few months or more.
Another thing - many properties, especially the new ones are not built up to high standards. They may look nice, but they rarely use proper bricks and the walls can get wet (from inside!) when it rains. And you know it rains often in the winter. Then, if the walls get wet, you'll have mould all over the place, in your wardrobe, on the wall, ceiling and it's very unhealthy.
Also, check about your neighbours. Most of the times it should be ok, but once we moved in to the apartment where there was the older couple in their 70ties and they were constantly looking at us through the window, or they'd open the door slightly and would look what we're doing, who's coming to visit etc. Of course, it's not an offence, but it felt very weird. We didn't do any big parties or anything so there was no reason to spy on us, but they were just nosy.
Also, if you have pets, always check if it's allowed to have them in the apartment and if other people who live there don't mind.
That's it from me
Very good points, especially the building work one! In our last place, literally a week after we moved in they began knocking down the building next to us. Our apartment (inside!) began cracking, everything fell off our shelves (lots of smashed glasses!) and we were also woken at 6am most mornings with a jack hammer just a few meters from our head in the bedroom. It was just horrific and I wish we'd stood up for ourselves then instead of letting the landlord get away with it all and THEN rip us off when we're good enough to move a month early just to help him!
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