Pay attention to this when renting a house abroad!
Nina
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3 minutes reading time
When you're going to work and live abroad, you can inquire with friends or acquaintances, family, colleagues both at home and abroad, and search online for a suitable residence. But what should you consider when renting a house abroad? We've compiled some tips for you.
Choose for the best rental term
It's likely that it will take some time to find a suitable residence abroad. Many people prefer to visit a few houses before making a decision, and the actual process of moving also consumes time, money, and energy. Therefore, carefully examine the terms in the rental contract and try to align the rental period with your intended length of stay. This will help prevent the need for mid-term relocation, especially if you end up staying longer than originally planned and there's no option for an extension. Also, consider what you'll do with your home in your home country if you decide to keep it and the potential tax implications. If you're moving abroad for multiple years, it might be an option to purchase a home. Often, renting first provides the advantage of allowing you time to thoroughly research your housing preferences, appealing neighborhoods, financing options, and local regulations.
Take advantage of one of our partners
Yobbers collaborates with HousingAnywhere, Homelike, Uniplaces, and Spotahome. These websites can assist you in finding a new home! And even better, at the bottom of this page, you'll find discount codes and links to get priority access. This makes searching for accommodation abroad a bit easier and more affordable. Searching for accommodation in another country can be a big task, so having some extra support always helps!
Which costs are included?
When drafting the rental contract, find out which costs are included, such as gas, water, and electricity, as well as services like snow removal, garden maintenance, and the presence of kitchen appliances, and so on. With a basic rent, it often pays to compare energy prices. Maintenance conditions can also vary from one landlord to another. For instance, the costs of certain maintenance work may be your responsibility when renting a property abroad. Especially in the case of an older house, this can result in significant expenses, so it's wise to consider this aspect carefully.
Tenant responsibilities
Legally, the person who signs or co-signs the rental contract is the tenant. It's possible that a fixed-term rental contract automatically renews unless you provide notice within the specified termination period and following the correct procedure. In most cases, even abroad, termination periods are legally regulated. In situations with a legal notice period, you can only terminate the contract before the term expires in very exceptional cases, such as in the event of a death, severe illness, or job relocation. Finally, as a tenant, you often sign for the inventory list. Before putting your signature on there, check if everything on the list is indeed present and if there are any defects in the inventory. You can have this adjusted in the contract right away. If you find this too complicated, you can choose to move into a shared housing. This is recommended especially if you want to make friends quickly in a foreign country.
Inspired to start your adventure abroad? Take a look at our vacancies!