How to Rent in Montenegro
Podgorica has its own unique real estate rules. Make sure to understand them before renting!
Rules:
- The rules for renting are not standardized. Conditions are similar but each case has to be negotiated before signing the contract.
- Some properties are being offered by one agency only, while most of them are being offered by 2 or more agencies at the same time. The agency who gets the clients first, gets to rent that property. Deposit is usually given immediately and it serves as a reservation of the property.
- Agencies do not have the same system of doing business, choose your agency carefully! Not all agents are registered and not all of them offer equall support, service and trust. A good way to choose your agency is by these criteria: recommendation, office, website, crps registration. (http://www.pretraga.crps.me:8083/)
- In Podgorica agencies are payed by the owners once their property is rented. Clients who rent do not pay anything to the agency for service. The provision is equal to 1 monthly rent.
- Bills for the property are mostly not included in the price and they are payed by the tenant. There are usually 5 bills: electricity, water, garbage, maintainance, internet. If you rent a part of a house, you usually pay only electricity and internet, or only electricity.
- Contract are usually concluded for one year and if you leave earlier, you loose your deposit. If you stay longer, you should be given your deposit back up to one month after leaving the apartment. Some of deposit money will go to bills payment and cleaning, also fixing if you damaged something.
- If you have pets, it will be more difficult to find a pet friendly property. Landlords are scared of their property being damaged by pets. But there are some that are pet friendly.
- Renting conditions are not equall. The landlord and the tenant should discuss them before signing.Check if you are allowed to smoke inside, to have pets, do you have to paint the walls when you leave the property, etc. Check the payment rules. Some owners demand paying several months in advance, or double deposit.
- Standard payment is one deposit and then monthly rent for each month. Each month is payed at the begining of the month (date of entry).
- Costs of notarization of contracts are usually payed by tenants as well as taxes. Notarized contracts are about 7€ per contract. If you are a foreigner they need to be translated by a court interpretor which is 15-20€ per page. Some agencies have their own interpretors so it costs less which is about 10€ per page. Taxes are 9% of the monthly rent for each month. If you are a foreigner you will need a notirezed contract to get work and residence permit.
- Foreigners usually need dishes, vacuum cleaner, iron and ironing table. Check with your agent and landlord if they are included or not. Some landlords will buy these and some won’t.
Conclusion:
For these reasons and other possible complications it is in your best interest to rent through a real estate agent who has experience and not directly from landlords. Renting through a real estate agency will be a safer and more reliable way.
