What you need to know when renting an apartment for a long term. How to rent an apartment from the point of view of an ordinary person with extensive experience. Hour or payment details

Renting a home in modern world this is the most common practice. Not many people can afford it, some prefer not to get attached, while others simply need to stay in the city for several years. All these people have one thing in common - they are looking for an apartment that they could rent for long term.

Where to begin?

All actions begin with a thought. Finding housing that you can also starts with a thought. What questions should you consider before you start searching for ads?

Location of housing. Decide on the area in which you are going to live. Of course, the further the rented apartment is located from the center, the cheaper it will be. But you should also pay attention to the costs that you will spend on transport. Whether it's gas or buying a travel pass. Wouldn't it turn out that by saving on rent, you won't gain anything by spending the same money on travel to your place of study or work?
Principle time is money no one canceled. Therefore, when choosing a new area of residence, determine what distance you are willing to agree to. After all, a greater distance from the place of work or study will mean more time spent on moving.

Imagine. Mentally imagine yourself in the desired housing. What is it like? How many rooms and their sizes? Floor? Do you need parking, kindergarten near? Is the bathroom combined or separate?

To summarize, you need to decide own requirements that you want to present. However, you should remember that you do not need to make too much demands if you have little money. In the end, it may turn out that living with a shared bathroom is not so bad, and a small three-room apartment will be more comfortable than a spacious two-room apartment.

Let's start choosing

When carefully reading advertisements, you should remember that what apartment owners write does not always correspond to your idea. For the owner, his apartment is most likely always "in a good condition" And "ready to move in" . In order to resolve your doubts, it is not necessary to immediately go for an examination. Some important issues can be resolved over the phone.

If the ad states that "apartment after renovation" , then you should clarify exactly how much time has passed since the last repair and what this really means. Has all the rooms been redecorated or just the kitchen? And if the renovation has just been completed, then you should clarify whether the new residents will be required to spend additional expenses, for example, on installing sockets or hanging a chandelier.

We bargain and set the price

After reading the advertisement, which states "bargaining is appropriate" start haggling over the phone. Why will this be useful? Most likely, it will not be easy for you to bargain if you spend time and money looking. And if this is not the case, then imagine that you really liked the apartment, but still want to bargain? Therefore, think about why you might ask for a price reduction? Maybe the area is not very respectable? Or is it far from what you need? There are few shops, renovations were done a long time ago, neighbors with children, but who knows what you might not like? Tell us about it over the phone. Namely, during the call you can understand whether the owner is really ready to give in.

If you still weren’t able to reach a deal, then you can wait a little time, for example a week, and call again. Perhaps with a second offer, when the landlord is already tired of looking for a tenant, he will be more accommodating.

Honesty is a good quality that often helps in life. During bargaining, it can also bring a lot of benefits. Tell me how much you actually expect. After discussing all the pros and cons of rented housing, you can summarize how much you actually think it costs to rent such housing. Phrases like “this apartment is not worth more than (amount)” or “I can only afford (amount)” are quite suitable in this situation.

Looking for an apartment through an agency

You also need to approach the choice of agencies seriously and wisely. A few rules to help you avoid scams:

In a good, large agency, they will conclude an agreement with you, discuss your preferences, offer options, and the realtor will go with you to the apartments for viewing. Read the contract carefully. A good agency will offer you certain guarantees. They will accompany you during the conclusion of the rental agreement, and will also provide assistance in case of unforeseen situations.

We agree with the owner

When you meet the owner of a rental property, try to convince him with your appearance that you are a respectable citizen. There is no need to say much for this. If you have a letter of recommendation from the previous place where you rented an apartment, you can provide it.

When agreeing on payment, check whether it includes payment for utilities. If you have to pay for these services separately, then ask for payment receipts for the previous months. So you can see How much will utility bills cost you monthly?

Discuss with the owner how often he will visit you. Discuss issues related to pets and guests. If guests are going to come to you for a couple of weeks, then most likely there is no need to immediately discuss this issue with the owner. It's better to do it after the fact.

When communicating with the owner, be frank, but keep your distance. In the landlord-tenant relationship, as in any other business relationship, it is important to avoid careless and familiar attitudes towards each other. Be calm, friendly and level-headed when talking about costs, changes and the owner's requirements. This approach will recommend you as a business and responsible person.

And, of course, if you come across an apartment that suits you in all respects, you shouldn’t hesitate to buy it. So you risk losing it to yourself. We wish you successful searches and a comfortable stay!

With good wishes,

Advertisements often contain false information. Instead of freshly repairing shabby walls, the owner often comes to check or soon asks to vacate the living space. It can be difficult for an inexperienced renter to understand from an advertisement that this option promises problems in the future.

To know how to rent an apartment correctly, you need to first find out important points. Cleanliness of the property, a friendly owner and an attractive price are not a reason to move in right away and pay a deposit several months in advance.

Ad rating

All information from agents can be divided into two types: short texts or a long story about the merits of housing. Advertisements from owners are more detailed, but without much advertising. The presence of many exclamation marks, the use of capital letters and illiteracy are a warning of possible problems with an unbalanced landlord. Advertisements by adequate citizens are distinguished by specificity and a calm tone; they do not contain many restrictions for potential residents.

When talking with an agent, clarify the cost, deposit amount and commission. They often differ greatly from what is indicated. If, after reading the ad, you have the opinion that the person is unbalanced and capable of creating a problem out of nowhere, then it often turns out that your intuition did not let you down.

Tenant requirements

If it is stated that the owner does not want to deal with smoking residents or animal lovers, this is a normal requirement: no one will want to turn their living space into a smoky room with a strong cat smell. If you promise to smoke only on the balcony, and the animal is a guinea pig or canary, then the owners often agree to small concessions.

A distinctive sign of a problematic owner is renting an apartment strictly on the basis of nationality, religion, the requirement not to bring guests, and the absence of small children.

Such people consider the guarantee of security not the solvency of the tenants and a competent contract, but other signs. They are suspicious and will torment you with constant checks and phone calls. There are times when they come to check the moral character of the residents, creating unbearable conditions.

Advance amount

The size of the deposit or prepayment from normal owners does not exceed the amount of monthly rent. If he requires a double or even triple deposit, this signals a frequent change of tenants. It is rarely possible to get your money back, because there will always be a reason to accuse you of damaging property. Making an advance payment for a year or 6 months is a big risk.

Transport accessibility

Distance from nearest stop public transport home is often reduced. The promised time of 15 minutes may turn out to be measured not by walking, but by driving. Use Google Maps to find out the route or try it yourself.

Floor

In tall buildings, middle floors are preferable: water may not reach the upper floors well and they are poorly heated. The last floor of low-rise buildings has several advantages:

roof access;
the neighbors will not flood, they will not stomp overhead;
cigarette butts and garbage from their balcony will not fall onto yours;
the laundry they hang will not block the sun.

The first floors are noisier, and problems with sewage, odors and living creatures from the basement primarily affect them.

If you are considering this option, pay attention to the following details:

where do the windows go;
the distance from the ground to the windows, the presence of trees in front of them;
what is located in the basement, it is better if it is an office or a housing office.

Closed rooms

Beware of housing with a locked room. The owners sometimes make a warehouse out of the things they left behind. This becomes another reason to unexpectedly pay a visit. If pipes are leaking, you will only know about it by mold appearing outside or by a visit from angry neighbors. But the presence of a loggia and dressing room is an additional plus; they can be used as an additional room.

Situation

Without furniture it will be cheaper. You can negotiate with the owners to purchase it for rent. Expensive furniture will have to be handled carefully so that money is not deducted from the deposit for loss of presentation.

If you are not happy with the furnishings in the photo, then during your first conversation with the landlord you need to find out whether the furniture can be thrown away or removed. Sometimes the owners do not agree to get rid of junk and leave walls and cabinets filled with their things. This creates great inconvenience, especially when it comes to long-term rentals.

In order not only to find out how to properly rent an apartment for a long term, but also to avoid making mistakes and find the best option available, it is useful to consider a few tips. Including:

Do not respond to advertisements with inflated requirements for tenants.
Time. It is better to carry out the inspection as late as possible so that there is no queue behind you. This will allow you to carefully consider everything and not miss important points.
Door. If it is unreliable, then find out right away, you can put a new one towards the rental. Otherwise, you may be robbed. Installing a door is a good investment in your home that a reasonable person would not refuse.
Plumbing. Replacing faulty taps, leaking toilets and radiators, dilapidated bathtubs, and adding water to a washing machine costs money and time. Check with the owners whether they are ready to correct the situation themselves or agree to reduce the price taking into account your upcoming expenses.
Look at the condition of the floor and windows.
Check the functionality of all existing household appliances so that you do not have to buy them later at your own expense or repair them.
Make sure there are no things on the balcony or mezzanine.

Conversation with the owner

In the first conversation with the owner of the property, you must immediately ask all your questions. It is advisable to make a list of them in advance so as not to miss anything; you can include in it:

are there any plans or designer renovations;
whether it is planned to transfer housing to relatives in the future and how soon this can happen;
procedure for paying rent.

If a person answers all questions in detail and calmly, then problems with him in the future are unlikely. It is better to avoid unbalanced, inadequate people. They may come to visit often, make ridiculous demands, and check cleanliness and order. It is impossible to please them.

Lease agreement

Signing an agreement allows you to protect yourself from unexpected and unpleasant surprises. The employer has the right. To do this, you must notify the owner 3 months in advance. The word "hire" is used in transactions with residential premises, where the tenant is individual. At the everyday level, it is often replaced with the word “rent”.

Signing a document, handing over money and keys does not guarantee a quiet life. Sometimes problems arise, their cause is:

The apartment is the property of other people, and the owner is a fraudster. The real owners are evicting the tenants.
Housing is divided in court. Legal owners can kick out tenants at any time.
The owners do not return the deposit, citing alleged damage to the property. It is difficult to prove the opposite in court if the contract was not accompanied by detailed description abandoned furnishings and photographs of the apartment.
One of the spouses rented out the property without asking the consent of the other. The contract in this case is invalid. Only both spouses can dispose of joint property.
The representative's power of attorney has expired or only has the right to show the premises. He does not have the authority to sign contracts.

Verification of documents

Not everyone knows how to rent an apartment correctly so as not to be deceived and left without an apartment and money. Before signing the contract, you must check the documents. Their list depends on the situation. If the housing is owned by one person, then he signs the documents personally or his representative by proxy. Ask to see a certificate of ownership that has passed state registration. Check the information specified in it with the apartment address, passport details and SNILS number. If the data discrepancy is due to the replacement or loss of a document, then you can check the information about the previous passport on the last page of the new document.

Depending on the time of acquisition of real estate, owners may have title documents:

certificate of registration of ownership;
extract from the Unified State Register;
contract of sale.

If the apartment has several owners, then everyone’s consent is required. is pledged to the bank until the loan is fully repaid. If the owner cannot pay off the debt, then the apartment can be taken away and everyone living in it can be evicted.

If the contract is concluded by power of attorney, you need to make sure that it gives the representative the authority to dispose of housing and the duration of its validity. Without this document, even close relatives cannot rent out housing. You can order an extract from the Unified State Register from the MFC to verify who the owner of the apartment is.

Agreement conditions

Before signing the contract, check that there are no debts on utility bills. In the deed of transfer of the apartment, describe in detail all the deficiencies found.

06.02.19 58 135 28

And don’t give money to scammers

For three years I helped people rent apartments and now I know several thousand rental stories.

Maria Yakovleva

protects people from scammers

It happened that my clients found an apartment, agreed to move, but instead lost money and were left homeless. I’ll tell you about the six most common schemes to defraud employers and explain which documents to check and what to pay attention to.

Fraud Option

Fake apartments from news agencies

There are agencies in the real estate market that sell only information, which is why they are called information agencies. They provide false information about apartments, take a commission from the client and do not guarantee occupancy.

Advertisements from such agencies often come across people who have just arrived in a foreign city and want to quickly rent an apartment. I noticed that even the offices of such agencies are often located near train stations and popular hostels.

To do this, the potential employer is invited to a decent office, most often in the city center. Managers are well trained and come across as professionals. The future employer is provided with licenses and documents and shown many fake awards, diplomas and certificates.

After meeting, they offer to sign an agreement and pay a commission. Under this agreement, the agency provides the addresses of the apartments for rent and the telephone numbers of their owners. The manager shows photographs of attractive options - luxury apartments at a reduced price.

Then the manager gives out information, offers to call the fake owner and go to view the apartment without an agent. There are several options for further developments. The owner says that the apartment is for rent, or does not answer the phone, the phone number turns out to be inactive, or it turns out that the apartment at that address is not for rent or does not exist.

If you return to the agency, the manager will present an information contract. There is no clause in it that the information must be up-to-date, and the agency undertakes to find an apartment. The client was provided with information, but the agency is not responsible for its quality. It may happen that there will no longer be an office, because news agencies in most cases are fly-by-night companies.

How to protect yourself. If you realize that an ad on the site was posted by a news agency, do not call them, but complain to the support service. Specialists from large websites know how to recognize news agencies. They will additionally check the user and all his ads and block if they find violations.

If you call and understand that you are dealing with an agency, do not come to the office. You'll waste your time, but you won't rent an apartment. If you only recognize a news agency on the spot, run away from there. And don't forget about the basic rules:

Read the contract carefully and do not pay money at the office. In good agencies, they will first show you the apartment, offer to check the documents, sign a rental agreement, a transfer and acceptance certificate, and only then ask you to make an advance payment.
Expensive apartments and quality services cannot be cheap. News agencies lure people precisely because their services are cheap: they set prices 2-3 times lower than honest agents.

For example, in St. Petersburg the most popular type of apartment is one-room apartments with average quality renovations near the metro for about 20 thousand rubles. If you find an agent with a 50% commission, pay 10 thousand rubles for the search. News agencies charge less for their services - usually 10-20% of the monthly rent, that is, 2-4 thousand rubles.

Fraud Option

Black realtors and other people's apartments

A person has the right to rent out only his own apartment and confirms this with a certificate of registration of rights or an extract from the Unified State Register of Real Estate (USRN) and a title document, such as a purchase and sale agreement. To rent out someone else's apartment, even a close relative, you need a notarized power of attorney.

Fraudsters play on people's trust. They rent an apartment, falsify documents and rent it out to several people. This scheme was widespread in the 90s due to black realtors, but is now less common.

Deception scheme. First, the scammer rents an apartment and prepares for future deception. He chooses owners who rarely appear in the apartment: they work a lot, travel or live abroad. Then the “landlord” falsifies all the documents that the tenants check - a passport, a certificate of registration of the right to an apartment and a title document - and offers the apartment at a reduced price. This way there is a greater chance of quickly finding willing people.

The scammer takes calls and schedules viewings at different times so that employers do not interfere with each other. He shows everyone fake documents, talks about the advantages of the apartment and behaves like a real, conscientious owner. Finally, he signs several rental agreements, takes rent from each employer and disappears.

The tenant comes to “his” apartment and sees a crowd of other people. Everyone has a fake rental agreement, and everyone is sure that it was he who rented the apartment. After disputes and clarifications, everyone understands that they have run into a scammer. Perhaps all the tenants will meet at the door, because the scammer will have time to change the locks so that no one gets into the apartment. In any case, they do not have rights to the apartment, since the rental agreement was concluded with a person who does not own the apartment.

How to protect yourself. Check documents slowly and thoughtfully. If the landlord is rushing you, don’t give in: ask questions, read the rental agreement. The scammer is in a stressful situation, so he will rush. It is important for him that the potential employer does not notice the counterfeits and quickly gives the money: he has several more similar victims in line.

From the documents, check the certificate of registration of title, if the apartment was purchased before July 15, 2016, or an extract from the Unified State Register of Real Estate, if after this date. You should also look at the title documents - most often this is a purchase and sale agreement or an agreement for shared participation in construction for new buildings - and the passports of all owners.

How to distinguish sublease from fraud

Subletting is a normal, legal practice in the real estate world. The tenant rents an apartment from the landlord with the right to sublease. After which he rents it out to other people and enters into contracts with them. This scheme is more common in the market daily rental, less - for long-term.

You can distinguish sublease from fraud by checking documents. Look at your passport, title documents and registration certificate or extract from the Unified State Register of Real Estate. This way you will understand who the owner of the apartment is.

If this is a sublease, the contract will definitely have a clause stating that the owner is not against subletting his apartment. It may look like this: “The Landlord does not object to the Tenant subletting residential premises at the address: Moscow, st. Obraztsova, 8a, apt. 80, from January 1, 2019 to January 8, 2019.”

The owner’s consent is also formalized in the form of an appendix, agreement, letter or any other written document and supplements the contract.

Fraud Option

Renting without the consent of the apartment owner

If an apartment is owned by several owners, each of them must give their consent to renting out the apartment. Their passport details and consent are indicated in the rental agreement.

One owner cannot decide for the others and rent out the entire apartment. This is illegal. Therefore, if this happened, then it is either inattention or a pre-conceived fraudulent scheme.

Deception scheme. An apartment belongs, for example, to two owners in equal shares. The contract is concluded by one of them - he enters his passport data and signs. That is, the tenant receives his consent to rent an apartment. Since there are two owners, by law both must give consent, even if one of them decided to rent out only his share.

When the second owner finds out that the apartment was rented out without his consent, he can go to the police and court and challenge the deal. The rental agreement will be declared invalid, and the tenant will have to look for another apartment.

How to protect yourself. Check title documents: certificate of registration of rights or extract from the Unified State Register of Real Estate. If you see several owners in the certificate or extract, include them all in the rental agreement. Each owner must be present when the contract is signed. Check everyone’s passport, enter the data in the contract and be sure to make sure that everyone signs the contract.

If not all owners can be present at the signing of the agreement, one of them - the one with whom you are entering into an agreement - must confirm in writing that the remaining owners are not against the transaction. This is done in the form of a clause in the contract or an appendix.

Such consent does not ensure complete safety. There have been cases when it turned out that the other owner was categorically against renting out the apartment, and, despite the guarantees, the contract was declared invalid. Therefore, the best option is a rental agreement with all owners or a notarized power of attorney from absent owners for the right to sign the agreement.

Is it possible to agree verbally if you rent an apartment from friends?

No, renting an apartment must be stated in the contract. If you are actually renting an apartment and paying money for it, and not just staying for a while, sign an agreement.

Relations between relatives can deteriorate, and without the protection of a contract, you risk being left without money and housing.

Fraud Option

Changing locks by owner

The tenant has rights to a rented apartment only when he and the landlord have signed a rental agreement and an acceptance certificate. If they agreed verbally and the owner promised to rent out the apartment, and the tenant gave him money for it, the rights to the apartment still remain with the owner. He can do whatever he wants in it, for example, change the locks on the front door.

The lock replacement scam scheme is aimed mainly at gullible people who do not understand the importance of contracts, receipts and other papers. In the world of real estate, only written agreements work.

Deception scheme. Most often, a rental agreement is not concluded: the landlord simply hands over the keys and takes either the entire monthly rental amount or a deposit. Doesn't give any receipts. Then he asks not to come into the apartment for a couple of days under the pretext that he needs to finish minor repairs or pick up things.

When the tenant arrives at the apartment, the key does not fit the lock. The owner needed these few days to change the locks. The deceived tenant will not be able to somehow confirm the fact of the agreement with the owner, because there is no rental agreement and no receipt for the deposit.

How to protect yourself. Always enter into a rental agreement, draw up a transfer and acceptance certificate and record the transfer of money. If you pay a deposit, ask the owner for a receipt, at least handwritten on a plain piece of paper.

But it will be better if you print out the form in advance and fill it out with the owner.

When you transfer the deposit for an apartment to the owner, write this down in the annex to the mutual settlement agreement. If the owner comes to you every month for money, make a new entry in both copies of the contract. If you do not see the owner and transfer money to him on the card, keep the receipts.

Fraud Option

Generosity Promotions

This scheme was invented for solvent people who count their money and want to save money. If the tenant agrees to rent an apartment at the stated price - or, conversely, does not agree - he is offered a discount, but is asked to pay several months in advance.

Deception scheme. Fraudsters put pressure on greed: they argue that the apartment will cost much less. For example, housing costs 25,000 rubles per month, but if you pay 120,000 rubles in advance six months in advance, it will cost 20,000 rubles per month. This is a significant saving, which is why many employers agree. Perhaps this is an honest offer from the owner and there will be no deception. But it happens that the landlord kicks the tenant out of the apartment ahead of schedule or suddenly replaces the locks, and keeps the money for himself.

How to protect yourself. It is better to pay only one month's rent in advance. The owner can kick out, change the locks or sell the apartment, and the tenant can change his mind and move to another property. In such cases, it will be difficult to collect money from the owner.

Fraud Option

Assignment of prepayment

In the real estate market, advance payment is made as an advance payment, deposit or security deposit. But prepayment is also one of the most common fraud schemes. They extract it from employers in various ways, and when they receive it, they stop communicating.

Differences between advance, deposit and pledge

A deposit is the most stringent type of security payments. If the tenant gave a deposit and then changed his mind about signing the rental agreement, the deposit remains with the apartment owner. If the owner refuses the deal, he returns the deposit in double amount.

A deposit, or security deposit, is an amount that the tenant gives to the landlord in case of violations. If the tenant violates the contract or causes damage to the apartment, the security payment goes towards repaying the damage.

An advance is a payment that will be counted towards subsequent payments for the apartment if everything goes according to plan. If something went wrong and the contract could not be signed, the landlord is obliged to return the advance.

Deception scheme. The tenant calls about an advertisement for renting an apartment. They tell him that the apartment is available and come up with a reason why he needs to transfer the advance payment. The reasons may be different. The three most common:

High demand. To prevent the apartment from being taken away, they ask you to send an advance payment to the card of the owner or realtor, and then come and sign an agreement.
The owner has a long way to go. Therefore, the client is asked to confirm his intention to rent an apartment and transfer the prepayment to the card.
Mandatory prepayment before concluding a contract. This is the owner’s condition, otherwise he will not rent out the apartment. More often they ask not for the full amount, but for an advance, 2-5 thousand rubles.

How to protect yourself. Do not transfer the advance payment. Pay money only after you look at the apartment and sign the rental agreement and the acceptance certificate. Remember that gorgeous photos of the apartment and low price- this is not a gift of fate, but a reason to check the apartment, the owner and the contract several times.

Greetings from a Peruvian

This is an original version of the prepayment scam, which began in the car market and is now found in the rental and sale of residential real estate.

Essentially, the same beautiful apartment at a reduced price and an advance payment requirement. You only communicate with the owner by mail, since he is located in another country.

They write something like this to you:

Good afternoon

I will explain the reason for my sale of the apartment at a reduced price.

I lived in Russia for a long time, but since my children live in Peru, I decided to move. I do business here, but I still have an apartment in Moscow and I want to rent it out.

To conclude an agreement, I must fly to Moscow. But I am only ready to go to a real client who is serious. Therefore, transfer me a deposit of 10,000 rubles through the Money Gram fast money transfer system or the Contact system to confirm your intentions.

Send me a receipt for payment, but cover the control number. Without it, I will not be able to receive the transfer, you can check this with the bank. This way you will be confident in my honesty and tell me the number only after concluding the contract.

I do not intend to change the terms of renting my apartment and its price. Because of these conditions, I rent the apartment at a low price. If you don't agree, don't waste my time.

Fraudsters can be from any country, but more often from Cameroon and Peru, so the message will be misspelled and a little clumsy.

The bank will confirm that it is impossible to receive money without a control number. Then you will go, for example, to Western Union and send the transfer. Take a photo of the receipt, close the code and send it to the scammer.

He will accuse you of drawing the receipt in a graphics editor and will send you a link to a fake money transfer system website. There you must enter all the data about the transfer, including the control number. A final window will appear, a screenshot of which the scammer will require. After that, he will receive the money and stop communicating.

Do not respond to such a message, but rather take a screenshot and send it to the support service of the site where you found the ad.

What documents to check before renting

You need to check three documents: a passport, a certificate of registration of rights and/or an extract from the Unified State Register of Real Estate and a title document - most often a purchase and sale agreement.

Passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation. It is necessary to verify the identity of the renters. To do this, check your passports. There is no need to check your military ID, driver's license and foreign passport, because their data is not included in other documents.

The passport data must be exactly the same as in all other documents. That is, the full name, series, number and all other data must match exactly. This will confirm that the person in the documents is the same person as in the passport and in front of you. Passport verification is the first and most important step.

Before renting an apartment, check whether the seller has a real passport. Here's what I recommend you pay attention to:

No corrections, stickers, crooked fonts.
There are all watermarks and imprints, fonts, as in your passport.
The passport series matches the place of issue. The first two digits of the series are the area code. For example, if a passport was issued in St. Petersburg, the first two digits are 40, if in Moscow - 45. If the series starts with 40, and the passport was issued in Lipetsk, it is a fake. A list of city codes can be found on the “Your Passport” website.
The condition of the passport corresponds to the date of issue. If the passport looks new, but was received three years ago, this should alert you.

Also check whether the owner's name and surname have changed. If yes, ask the seller for a certificate from the registry office of marriage or divorce or change of name.

Title documents show who owns the apartment or part of it and on what basis and who can rent it out.

The type of title document depends on how the apartment came to be owned by the owner. If privatized, the title document will be an agreement on the transfer of ownership of the apartment. If you bought it - a purchase and sale agreement, and if you received it as an inheritance - a certificate of the right to inheritance by law or by will.

If the apartment is in a new building, the title document may be an agreement on shared participation in construction. Together with him, it is necessary to check the apartment acceptance certificate if the house has already been rented out.

Certificate of state registration of property rights confirms ownership of the apartment or part of it. There will be no certificate in two cases:

If the owner registered ownership of the apartment from 1991 to 1996. In this case, it is necessary to check whether a mark on the state registration of the right is made on the title document, for example, on the purchase and sale agreement.
If ownership is registered after July 15, 2016. From this date, the certificate of registration of rights was canceled and replaced with an extract from the Unified State Register of Real Estate.

To check the certificate of ownership, check the supporting documents that are indicated in it with the real documents. The type, number and series must match. Also check the address, floor and area of the apartment.

Replaces the certificate of registration of ownership. It is needed to confirm ownership and a list of title documents, as well as check the presence of other owners. Check the data from the extract - address, supporting documents - with the title documents. Everything must match.

What else to pay attention to

Owner behavior. If he is in a hurry, nervous, threatening to rent out the apartment to others if you don’t make a decision right now, be wary. Assess his adequacy visually: look at him first of all as a person. You need to see him every month, resolve issues, perhaps ask for help, so rent an apartment from a person who is at least not disgusting to you.

Apartment rental price. There are no perfect options at a low price. A renovated and furnished apartment five minutes from the metro cannot cost a penny. There's always a reason for the price and it's probably a scam.

Documentation. Forgery of documents is an expensive procedure. Therefore, scammers often use an economical option: they forge documents themselves or lie about why they are not there. Do not rent an apartment until you see the original documents.

How much money to pay

Rental amount pay only for one month. If the owner offers to pay six months in advance, refuse.

Pledge- this is an amount that reassures the owner in case of damage to his property. For example, if a tenant breaks a window and decides to move out, the owner will take part of the money from the deposit, fix the window, and return the rest. A full refund of the deposit can be demanded from the owner only if the tenant returns the apartment in the same condition as he rented it.

The amount of the deposit is determined by the owner. There are three most common collateral schemes:

deposit equal to 100% of the apartment's rental price for the month, in one payment;
a deposit equal to 100% of the rental price of the apartment for a month, in two payments, that is, divided into two months;
double deposit equal to 200% of the apartment's rental price for the month, in one payment - mainly for business and elite class properties.

That is, when concluding a contract, you pay either the entire amount of the deposit or part of it as agreed with the owner.

Remember if you are going to rent a house

If you are asked to come to the office and sign an agreement before showing the apartment, do not agree.
Check the documents before signing the contract. Look at the owners’ passports, a certificate of registration of title or an extract from the Unified State Register of Real Estate and a title document, such as a purchase and sale agreement.
Always enter into a rental agreement and sign the acceptance certificate for the apartment.
Pay only one month's rent in advance.
Pay money only when you see the apartment and the owner in person, check the documents, sign the rental agreement and the acceptance certificate. And don’t forget to indicate monthly payments on the settlement form.

We worked on the material

Author - Maria Yakovleva, editor - Elena Evstratova, production editor - Marina Safonova, photo editor - Maxim Koposov, information designer - Zhenya Sofronov, illustrator - Anton Kalashnikov, responsible - Anna Lesnykh, proofreader - Alexander Salita, layout designer - Evgenia Izotova