This is my experience:
Which kinds of accommodation are available in the Seychelles?
Mostly apartments and houses. Houses can be in someones back yard.
Is it hard to find a flat or a house for rent in the Seychelles?
No. You just need to know where to look.
How to find a home in the Seychelles: classifieds, real estate portals, real estate agencies?
There is a Facebook page "Sesel Buy and Sell" where you can post a request and most likely get a response. They also publish a small paper which is available all over town (around market street mostly)
The "Nation" has more info than "Today" but these places are usually very expensive.
The few estate agents I encountered were useless (like most estate agents I have encountered in other countries they always show you places OUTSIDE your budget)
Best is word of mouth and for this you need a friend. As soon as landlords find out you are an expat the price rises considerably!!!
How much is the rental for a house, an apartment?
In my opinion not very consistent.
In Quincy Village brand new apartments went for 4000.00 rupees. In Providence a very spacious but old two bedroom apartment went for 6000.00
In La Misere a small two bedroom house (two bathrooms) with a garden went for 6 700.00. Right next door to a three bedroom house with three bathrooms that went for 18 000.00 rupees.
In Anse Aux Pin a two bedroom house with a garden went for 10 000 rupees and
in La Louise, close to Chillies a very cute two bedroom house went for 5000.00 for locals and 9000.00 for expats.
In Anse Boileau a very neat two bedroom house went for 8 000.00 for locals but 12 000.00 for expats.
In Beau Vallon I saw a new, very small house for 5000.00 rupees - two bedrooms. The location was difficult to get to. No access road.
In Bel Hombre I found a four bedroom house with three bathrooms (double story) for 18 000 rupees and also in Bel Hombre a one bedroom bedsitter for 10 000 rupees, expats only.
A friend found a neat two bedroom house halfway between La Louise and La Misere for 5000.00 but water is pumped from the stream - in my opinion a health hazard!
What are the formalities or the required documents for renting an accommodation?
GOP
Passport or Resident card
Contract
Deposit of two month's plus the first months's rent (can vary depending on the owner)
Which advice would you give?
When you find a place you like, insist on paying immediately a deposit and/or signing a contract.It has happened twice to us that a landlord agreed we could rent only for us to find one week later he was renting to friends of the family. Word of honour means nothing here. Have it on paper - soonest.
Most places needed some maintenance to be carried out. Landlords were not concerned with time frames and can take their sweet time to finish the house on time. Confirm the entry date. State in the contract that the landlord must give you accommodation if not finished on time. The fact that you rent a place from a certain date is not always an incentive for the landlord to be ready on time - be prepared to have a plan B.
If garden services or security is included in the rent, make sure it says so in the contract too. Anything that is discussed and not followed up in the contract can become a bone of contention later on. We had a landlord that suddenly charged us 3000 rupees for garden services...which we never used or saw for that matter. It was not covered in the contract.
Make sure beforehand who pays for what when it comes to plumbing, electrical faults, pest control, breakages etc.
Some landlords leave stuff behind in boxes and promise to come and fetch it later. Make sure it gets off the property before you move in. You are paying for that space. You are not a storage facility.
A friend moved into a house where the previous tenant left FIVE dogs behind. He is still battling to get rid of the dogs.
Treat your contract like you would a business deal. Being nice and accommodating can cost you later.
Most places are furnished. If there is a gas stove make sure all the burners are working before you move in.
I am still waiting to have it confirmed but was told by one landlord that it is LAW to have a fire extinguisher in the house. Just make sure about that. In August this year the Fire Brigade put out 35 fires all around the island. I have seen a few houses burnt down and also has a friend who lost everything in a fire. It is illegal to burn garden refuse but most people do. In the dry season it is very dangerous and with the high speed winds can easily spread to the nearest houses. Make sure it is not yours.
