Study Table in Mumbai

Moving into a new apartment seems to be overwhelming. But, finding a perfect apartment that fits both your lifestyle and budget won’t be easy. Finding a good home on rent for the next few years involves dealing with brokers, settling rent, sorting out the legalese, building a good rapport with the owner, and what not!

Usually, we overlook some of the must-haves while choosing a place to live. We have compiled the process for you, step by step. So, let’s take you through where to look for a suitable place, how to rent, what to consider before renting, and more:

Where you live is as important as the layout of your apartment. You may find a beautiful apartment at an affordable monthly rent but what if it is located somewhere there is negligible public transport connectivity? Make sure to find a home that provides seamless last-mile connectivity to the important areas of the city, especially your workplace, markets, hospitals, schools, etc.

Shortlist the area that is important for you like the workplace. Accordingly, look for locality and society around. This will help you avoid wasting time touring various apartments that just won’t work.

Whether you are moving out of your childhood home or rented apartment, you will surely bring a lot of stuff with you to your new flat. You must have collected a lot of memorabilia over your life thus far. It will be good to have an honest conversation with yourself about whether you're holding onto certain things because they're useful or because you are emotionally attached to them so can’t leave them and go. Also, you are moving with the family of how many people or you will be staying solo. This will help you make a better decision of what kind of apartment will be perfect for you - a studio apartment, 1-bedroom, 2-bedroom, or 3 bedrooms, multi-level unit, or some other setup.

You can’t go out and say yes to the very first apartment that you have visited to take on rent. It’s also not easy to find a perfect place with all the essential amenities that fit your lifestyle like a Modular kitchen, high-quality electrical fittings, a good outdoor area, elevator, security, gym, and more in just one go. Give an extra effort to check that the apartment has everything you need before signing the lease.

Also, sometimes it is quite annoying to lug your office bag, and groceries if there is a long walk from the car to your home. Check in advance that is there a designated parking facility available and if not then where you can park your vehicle safely.

Firstly, think twice if you can reasonably afford to live here. If yes, then before seriously considering a house/apartment, consider your monthly budget. Also, before finalizing, conduct a bit of online research, visit the various brokers around, and communicate with the people living nearby to get a sense of the genuine rental rates in the neighbourhood. This will help you save money and from paying extra.

Renting a property in India is not easy, as you not only have to keep minimum 3 months’ rent saved in advance before moving in but also have to pay a security deposit which may vary from one month to six months depending on the kind of property you are renting – furnished or unfurnished and the locality. Make sure to check about the deposit amount with the landlord before you plan to rent the property. However, this amount is refundable and sometimes adjusted in the monthly rent with the mutual understanding between both parties at the time tenant vacates the apartment. In case the tenant vacates the property without prior notice to the landlord, utility bills are not cleared or any damage to the property is done then it is considered as the compensation amount.

However, if you are renting an apartment through any mediator (broker), please check the amount of brokerage you will suppose to pay to rent a flat/apartment. Don’t forget to negotiate the brokerage amount.

After you have moved in, rent is not your only financial obligation. You have to pay for the utilities such as water, sewer, cleaning, garbage, and maintenance throughout the time you will live there. Before signing the lease, double-check with your landlord about who will pay for what.

What if you have a perfect luxurious apartment but the locality you are staying in is putting a bad impact on you and your child’s personality and behaviour? Before renting do carefully consider the locality and potential neighbours. Walk around society and have a word with people about their experiences. This will help you get a sense of the place and the people living around it.

Prevent conflicts later between the two parties by spelling out everything of relevance in the contract. Before signing the contract you as a tenant must visit the property and conduct a proper asset condition assessment and read the terms and conditions in the agreement carefully. The agreement should mention the following:

A legal contract on a stamp paper duly registered with the local authority with all the terms and conditions put across is a must whether you are giving your property for rent or you are renting a property. It makes the process smooth and appropriate for both the parties - landlord and tenant.

Don’t rush into making a decision, consider all the aspects carefully so that you won’t regret it later!