Apartment or House Rental Checklist for Tenants

If you've decided to rent an apartment, it might seem very simple: you just search for a suitable home on a real estate portal and move in.

But if you want to avoid trouble and disputes with the landlord, you should do a bit more.

We'll give you advice on exactly what you should do before renting an apartment.

How large an apartment or house do you need?

First, think about how large a home you need. For example, with a four-room apartment, would one room just be nice to have or do you actually need it? Or are you planning to move into a one-room apartment with your new sweetheart? In that case, here's the thing: even very much in love people sometimes want to be alone. Take this as a friendly tip.

Browse real estate portals

This is now quite a big undertaking and we warn that good options disappear quickly. Save suitable filters by neighborhood, size, price, etc., so you don't have to enter the same keywords every time. Check new offers regularly and subscribe to automatic notifications when properties you like are added. This way you'll be among the first to hear about good offers.

Once you've found a suitable rental property, let's look at the next point.

Make sure the landlord is the owner of the rental property

This is necessary because from time to time fake listings appear, where unsuspecting home seekers are asked for a deposit and once it's in hand, the scammer disappears. You can check the rental property owner's details from the land register at https://kinnistusraamat.rik.ee/.

Find out whether the rental property is mediated by a broker or the owner

You need to know this because if a rental apartment or house is mediated by a broker, you'll also have to pay them, and you should factor in these additional costs. When renting directly from the owner, you don't have to do this. But…

A broker's service is actually very useful for both parties and usually worth the price. They have experience that will definitely pay off for you.

Additionally, it's an advantage that if you don't have time to deal with searching for housing yourself, the broker does it for you and they might find you such a great place that it amazes you. You can choose a broker here.

Inspect the rental apartment or house

Before the next point, you definitely need to inspect your new home. There have been times when rental properties were in such demand that apartments were rented out and agreements were made based only on photos. But the real feel you can only get by being there in person. If possible, also inquire about the neighbors. Maybe the rent for this apartment is suspiciously low because they're noisy?

Check utility bills

Sometimes the apartment owner is tempted to understate utilities a bit. Of course, this isn't nice, but not everyone cares about being nice and they cheat so blatantly it's obvious. Ask the landlord for utility bills – from them you can clearly see how much goes to heating in summer and winter and how much electricity costs.

Sign a written lease agreement

Signing a lease is like signing any other contract. It's essential because if a dispute arises, it's immediately clear what exact conditions were agreed upon. Lease agreements also typically specify what you can and cannot do in the apartment or house. For example, smoking or keeping a cat.

You should also write into the contract the condition the rooms are in and note any important defects. Otherwise, when you move out, you may have to pay compensation for them.

You can read advice on signing a lease here.