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!