The Italian way of life is arguably the most envious on the planet. To begin with, it centers on simultaneously rustic and sumptuous cuisine. But what keeps people interested is the feel-good living philosophy that prioritizes luxury and beauty. Additionally, working and living in Italy means being surrounded by some of the most priceless works of art. Your perfect coastal town with a monastery, the beach, or a bohemian apartment next to a busy piazza are all possible locations for your piece of the good life. This guide will explain all the potential pitfalls and peculiarities of Italian rentals, provide you with important advice, and highlight critical provisions to look out for in the rental agreement.

Is It Better To Rent Or Buy in Italy?

In Italy, renting is an excellent substitute for buying. It’s more adaptable, needs less of a commitment, and if your circumstances change, you can deal with the minor issue moving forward. More than 50% of those who intend to relocate to Italy choose to rent a place first.

You might not be shocked that renting in Italy differs significantly from North America. Most of our international clients believe that all it takes to rent a home is to choose one they like within their price range, inform the owner of their interest in renting it, sign a lease, pay the deposit, and receive the keys.

Renting is not only a transactional activity, like everything else in Italy. Although owners may advertise a home for rent, this does not guarantee that “you” will be the tenant. It would help if you persuaded them that you would take good care of the rental, pay your rent on time, and maintain it. Italian landlords worry that since you are a foreigner, they will have less possibility of collecting any damages than if they had rented to an Italian.

This anxiety might make it challenging to persuade landlords that you are a trustworthy and honest tenant, especially if you don’t know Italian. Owners must rely on additional strategies to safeguard their assets against non-paying tenants, such as requiring more significant than usual deposits or bank guarantees, which can drive away the typical renter from the market.

When looking for a new house in Italy, renting could appear to be a more reasonable alternative. Still, because of the owners’ concern, the amount of upfront money you will need only to get the keys in hand might be a problem if you are unprepared.

Whether you should purchase a home or rent one relies on your circumstances, your financial status (since foreigners have an adamant time getting mortgages), and how committed you are to starting over in Italy. Renting may be a great initial option to test the waters, provide you with a foundation from which to explore other areas at your own pace, and let you figure out what you want and need to be happy. After considering all the abovementioned factors, only you can decide if renting or owning in Italy is preferable.

Peculiarities About Italy Apartments For Rent

Before beginning your apartment search, you should know a few things about what to anticipate from Italian flats. They differ from what you are accustomed to in your country of origin.

The contract length will determine whether your future Italian house will be equipped or unfurnished. Between two and four years, long-term leases are frequently supplied. In Italy, “unfurnished” refers to a space devoid of equipment, including a stove, oven, or refrigerator. You may anticipate flats and homes to be furnished entirely when it comes to short-term leases and rentals.

The Bathroom Is Included In Italian Apartments

Every rental flat in Italy has a bathroom. It is relatively typical for the shower to be integrated into the bathtub rather than as a separate unit.

The Kitchen Is Not Included In Apartments In Italy

The majority of foreigners find this to be by far their most considerable surprise and express extreme shock. The majority of unfurnished rental apartments in Italy lack a kitchen.

What Are The Alternatives?

Ensure that the kitchen is mentioned in your rental agreement if you notice a listing with one in the apartment’s photos. If it isn’t, the prior tenant—who could also be the kitchen’s owner—will probably take it with them. Your options in the kitchen are as follows:

Purchase The Kitchen From The Former Tenant

The kitchen is generally up for grabs in one of two ways: either the former renter wants to take it with them to their new apartment, or they don’t want to take it and force you to buy it, sometimes for a high price.

Only Search For Apartments With A Kitchen Included

Rent A Fully Furnished Apartment

You could strike it fortunate on Italy’s most well-liked rental property websites and locate a few furnished flats. That, however, is not all that typical. A new industry for furnished apartment rentals for short- and long-term stays has evolved in recent years due to the increase in digital nomads and foreigners visiting Italy.

Rent An Apartment Without A Kitchen And Buy One Yourself

This choice will provide you with the most diversity when looking for an apartment in Italy. Lower rents but more expensive kitchen purchase expenses are to be anticipated. Modern all-in-one kitchens can take up to two months to deliver and cost several thousand euros. If you decide to go that route, plan on this. This choice only makes sense if you intend to remain for a while.

Appliances Are Usually Not Included In Italian Flats

The same principle applies to appliances like washers and dryers as it does to the kitchen. They are probably not included. If you need to purchase one, be sure to double-check the dimensions because washing machines in Italy come in various sizes to accommodate smaller dwellings. On the other hand, dryers are less common in Italy since they take up room and use a lot of expensive electricity. The people of Italy utilize drying racks for their garments.

Utilities Are Calculated Apart From The Rent In Italy

You’ll normally be responsible for covering all your utility costs in an Italian rental. These consist of:

Garbage service
Gas
Electric
Cable
Internet/Wifi
TV tax (if you own a TV)

Deposits Are Very Common In Italy

According to Italian legislation, the security deposit cannot be more significant than three times the monthly rent. If the parties do not otherwise agree, interest will be accrued on the sum submitted as a security deposit. After the lease, the security deposit must be refunded.

However, the landlord may keep some of your deposit if you damaged the apartment or did not sufficiently refurbish it to restore it to how it looked before you moved in. So make sure to take good care of your unit and report any damage so it can be remedied quickly.

How Much Is Rent In Italy?

Rent in Italy typically ranges from $400 to $700 per month in the city core. In some smaller cities, rent may even start at $300.

There are elements, though, that can alter this. You may anticipate a lower rent if you find an apartment outside the city center, and you can discover affordable flats in Italy. Your rent may even start at $200 if you decide to merely rent a room in an apartment and share it with others.

How To Find An Apartment In Italy

Italy Apartment Search Engines

When looking for an apartment, most people start with portals and search engines specifically for Italian apartments. Here are some of the most well-liked.

Immobiliare: Immobiliare is the most widely used real estate website in Italy. You should start your search there.
Mioaffitto: Mioaffitto is a good third choice.
Venere: Venere is an excellent place to find both hotels and apartments.
Cercocasa: The most effective and dependable website for finding apartments in Bologna is Cercocasa.
Easy Stanza: This is the website to use if you want to room with someone.

General Apartment and Housing Search Engines

Check out the generic apartment and housing search engines below if you’ve run out of possibilities above.

Trip Advisor: Vacation rental listings may be found in abundance on Trip Advisor. See what you can find by exploring this website.
Vrbo.com: A global leader in the vacation rental industry with properties available in many nations.
Airbnb: Over 185 nations are included in Airbnb’s listing of rentals. Short-term rentals are frequently available at attractive prices.

Furnished Rental Property Websites in Italy

A furnished apartment will often contain all the furniture, utensils, white goods, and other necessities you’ll want during your stay. Yet, there is no clear definition of a furnished apartment.

The walls of a furnished apartment could occasionally be blank so that you can hang your artwork and photographs while you’re there, or it might occasionally include high-end interior décor and artwork.

To find out precisely what you’ll receive for your money, go to the landlord or the property management firm before renting a furnished flat.

Furnished homes in Italy – Monthly Rentals | HomeToGo

Italy Apartments for Rent: Furnished short term rentals Italy

It is an excellent idea to do a thorough video or visual inventory of everything in the apartment when renting a furnished one. For instance, you may snap pictures of the apartment’s walls, furnishings, fittings, kitchenware, and other contents, paying close attention to any items that are already damaged.

Living in structures that are hundreds of years old is typical in Italy. These structures will include frescos, sculptures, and other possibly priceless elements. Before moving in, you must document the condition of all of these. This implies that there won’t be any disagreements with the landlord when it’s time for you to move out since you can show them the images to indicate that anything was already broken or in bad shape before you moved in. Ideally, there won’t be any disagreements when you leave the flat, but you may safeguard yourself by making thorough notes and taking pictures of the state of everything included in the inventory when you first move in.

Shared flat rental websites in Italy

Italy’s real estate industry differs slightly from other countries in that most flats are rented out directly by the owners. It’s not very usual for holding corporations to own a significant proportion of rental property or for entire buildings to be occupied by renters. As a result, rather than spending their time managing the rental directly, most private owners decide to deal with an agent or broker to handle the negotiation.

As a result, you could locate an apartment online or through word of mouth that you can rent directly from the owner. Still, it’s a good idea to work with an agent if you want to investigate your options and possibly obtain a better price thoroughly.

HousingAnywhere

Spotahome

iRoommates

Documents Needed For Renting In Italy

When owners are pretty cautious about protecting themselves as they rent out their rooms, renting an apartment in Italy might involve a lot of paperwork. Outside of the actual lease agreement signing, it’s a good idea to let your agent or broker handle everything for you.

Both tenants and landlords in Italy need specific documentation to rent an apartment or a property. Tenants require the following paperwork to sign the rental agreement:

Landlords

Identity document;
Tax code;
Map of the building;
Copy of the deed of purchase or land registry;
Energy certification of the building (ACE).

Tenants

Identity document (as well as of other cohabitants);
Social security number (as well as of other cohabitants);
Two last pay slips or the last CUD (certificazione unica dipendente) if you are a salaried employer;
The last modello unico and Chamber of Commerce inspection, if self-employed.

The owner has 30 days from the date of signing to file the contract with the Revenue Agency. You might be interested in knowing the prerequisites to register a rental contract, which is stated below, even if landlords handle this process:

two copies of the rental agreement with original signatures;
completed Model 69 for registrations;
receipt of payment of the registration tax;
payment of 32 EUR (35 USD)—two 16 EUR (17 USD) stamps.

Supplementary charges (such as those for registrations and stamps) may need to be split equally between tenants and landlords. This depends on the two parties’ chosen plan. However, it should be noted that the renter will never be required to pay the whole amount of these fees, and in the event of debt, the landlord alone will be held liable.

Tips For Applying For An Apartment For Rent In Italy

You can certainly understand that dependability in tenants is key based on the list of required documents for renting in Italy. Renters’ rights are so strong in Italy. Thus landlords place a great value on only letting trustworthy and responsible individuals into their apartments. Here are some tips on how to improve your chances of getting the apartment you’ve been eyeing.

Be Fast

When you locate a listing online, phone the person in charge instead of wasting time composing lengthy emails to inquire about its availability and express your interest in seeing it in person.

Make A Great First Impression

When visiting the flat, be courteous, self-assured, and dressed appropriately. Going to an apartment viewing is like attending a job interview.

Have All Documents Ready

Present each of the necessary documents listed above.

If You Have A Pet, Don’t Bring It To The Visit

Since many landlords forbid pets, having a pet lowers the number of flats available. Make an excellent first impression, then if things go well, say that you have a dog or cat and attempt to work out a deal to keep the apartment.

Be Patient

Finding a rental flat in Italy might take months, depending on where you seek. Or your best chance can come from the first flat you see. Therefore, prepare yourself and keep going even if it takes some time.

What Does A Italian Rental Contract Contain?

Any rental agreement must have several specific provisions regardless of its length. Standard elements such as the names of the landlord and renter, information on the property, and the rent due are required. Additionally, the following things must be added: a provision stating that an Energy Performance Certificate (Attestato di Prestazione Energetica) has been provided to the renter;
The rent payment per year;
The tenant is responsible for covering community expenses;
Amount of deposit (usually three months’ worth of rent);
Conditions under which any party may cancel the agreement (usually, notification is required six months in advance);
Conditions about the maintenance of the property.

Once the contract is in place, the annual rent sum specified in the contract cannot be changed for the contract term. This provides the tenant with security and guards against exploitation.

Things To Take Care Of After You Move In

following your smooth relocation to your new house in Italy. You still have a few tasks to complete before it is time to unwind and beautify every tiny detail:

1. Take Pictures Of Your Rental

Before you move your belongings in, take photographs and videos of the state of your new apartment as soon as you obtain the keys. Maintaining a record of it is usually a good idea. You never know how long you’ll remain or if the property manager or landlord will change during that period.

2. Put your name on the doorbell and letterbox.

After you have moved in and registered, you will receive official mail over the next few weeks. Your surname must appear on the doorbell and letterbox. Ask your landlord or property management if they will do that for you or if you must handle it yourself.

3. Get Your Home An Internet Contract

Don’t wait too long to sign a contract because it may take up to six weeks for your internet connection to be enabled.

4. Sign Up With An Electricity Provider

You will have power as soon as you move in, so don’t worry, but you may save several hundred euros a year by actively picking or switching your supplier.

5. Get Home Contents Insurance

After all of your possessions have been relocated to your new house, you might want to think about insuring them against burglary, fire, and other losses.

Essential German Vocabulary For Renting In Germany

Appartamento in affitto : Apartment for rent

Contratto di affitto: rental contract

Arredato: Furnished

Bilocale: One-bedroom

Due camere da letto: Two-bedroom

Monolocale: Studio apartment

Servizi: Amenities

Utilità: Utilities

Edificio moderno : Modern building

Conclusion

You’re generally better off looking for a furnished home if you want to rent in Italy for a year or two. Unfurnished does imply “bare bones” since when Italians come in, they steal the kitchen, light fixtures, and curtain rails. People typically choose unfurnished apartments since it might be challenging to obtain furnished ones.

Before renting a residence in Italy, we have covered all the information you want. Selecting the property that best meets your needs is up to you.