Foreigner as a Tenant? Of Course!

The number of foreigners coming to Estonia to study and work increases every year, and at the same pace grows their need for housing, especially in Tallinn and Tartu. While ten years ago we thought Estonia was not an attractive country for international students, by autumn 2016 nearly 4000 foreign students were already studying here.

The number of foreigners coming to Estonia to study and work increases every year. Unfortunately, many are afraid to help them in their apartment search. Property owners are unclear about what they should do when renting to foreigners, what data to pay attention to, which laws to follow. There are fears of language barriers and problems caused by cultural differences, as well as the risk that rent payments may not arrive. This puts foreigners temporarily residing in Estonia in a difficult situation.

Here are five reasons why foreigners should be added to the list of welcome tenants:

• Students and working specialists arriving from other countries typically stand out for their law-abidingness. They come to Estonia to live with a specific purpose and do not wish to cause problems here, neither with landlords, nor with local authorities, nor with police.
• If the property owner does not speak foreign languages themselves, a real estate agent can help communicate, and they are also familiar with all necessary procedures. Real estate offices also have correct English-language contracts in addition to Estonian ones.
• When a real estate agent asks for a confirmation letter about how long a foreigner temporarily residing in Estonia is secured with a job or study position, employers and universities always respond responsibly, often adding a letter of recommendation or guarantee.
• Foreigners typically do thorough homework to ensure sufficient financial security for making necessary payments. Most international students receive study allowances or scholarships, and some of them work alongside their studies.
• Foreigners could be particularly welcome among those property owners who do not want pets in their apartment or house – foreigners generally do not have them with them.

Since the state, universities and companies are working to bring more international students and specialists from other countries to Estonia, it is likely that in the future there will be increasingly more foreigners among those seeking to rent. Let us then show them that they are welcome in our country!

Article source: Arco Vara