# Self-employed. How to prove income for renting in Italy?



## WishPirate (Nov 14, 2016)

I'm planning to move to Italy next month. I have Jure Sanguinis Italian citizenship, but little or no Italian language skills. I'm self-employed, but have ongoing contracts with specific companies. One of the companies I work for actually is based in Italy, but the remaining companies are American, and my primary proof of income would be contracts/invoices/pay receipts in English, form US firms.

How hard is it to get an apartment with this kind of self-employment setup? What kinds of proof of income would landlords want? And are there any agencies designed to help foreigners like me find short term housing upon arrival, maybe long-term housing eventually?


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## accbgb (Sep 23, 2009)

WishPirate said:


> I'm planning to move to Italy next month. I have Jure Sanguinis Italian citizenship, but little or no Italian language skills. I'm self-employed, but have ongoing contracts with specific companies. One of the companies I work for actually is based in Italy, but the remaining companies are American, and my primary proof of income would be contracts/invoices/pay receipts in English, form US firms.
> 
> How hard is it to get an apartment with this kind of self-employment setup? What kinds of proof of income would landlords want? And are there any agencies designed to help foreigners like me find short term housing upon arrival, maybe long-term housing eventually?


The uncomfortable truth is, Italy is a very difficult place for the self-employed. Your tax situation could easily turn into a total nightmare and cost you a lot more than you might anticipate.


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## WishPirate (Nov 14, 2016)

And I've definitely heard that.... but before I can even begin to figure out taxes, I need to figure out rent. Any ideas?


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## Italia-Mx (Jan 14, 2009)

I live in the biggest city in Abruzzo. Rents in my area for two or three bedrooms, two bath, semi furnished are going for 1,000 Euro to 1,200 Euro. Prior to 2009 (beginning of the crisis), rents for similar places were going for about 300 Euro less. Of course, you would pay less for a smaller place. But I don't know about the rates in other cities.


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## accbgb (Sep 23, 2009)

Italia-Mx said:


> I live in the biggest city in Abruzzo. Rents in my area for two or three bedrooms, two bath, semi furnished are going for 1,000 Euro to 1,200 Euro. Prior to 2009 (beginning of the crisis), rents for similar places were going for about 300 Euro less. Of course, you would pay less for a smaller place. But I don't know about the rates in other cities.


Oh, come now. €1000?

Apartments can be had for far, far, less even in L'Aquila:

Annunci Appartamenti L'Aquila - Affitto appartamenti Abruzzo - Subito.it


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## WishPirate (Nov 14, 2016)

I would be renting somewhere in the Adriatic Northern Italy area--- Venezia Mestre, Vicenza, Verona, vetcetetera. I've seen stuff in an acceptable price range for me there.

But it's not price I'm worried about. It's proof of income. Does anyone know how I can prove my income in order to get a lease?

Or if I'm willing to pay like 6 months up front, maybe have less of a burden of proof? Is that an option?


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## Italia-Mx (Jan 14, 2009)

The biggest city in Abruzzo is not L'Aquila. Not only did I pay 1,100 a month, I also paid a 130 euro month condo fee plus gas, electricity, TV tax, garbage fee. These are still the going rates in my city while the "crisis" remains in effect. You can pay less if you want less but smaller places are also more difficult to find.


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## accbgb (Sep 23, 2009)

WishPirate said:


> I would be renting somewhere in the Adriatic Northern Italy area--- Venezia Mestre, Vicenza, Verona, vetcetetera. I've seen stuff in an acceptable price range for me there.
> 
> But it's not price I'm worried about. It's proof of income. Does anyone know how I can prove my income in order to get a lease?
> 
> Or if I'm willing to pay like 6 months up front, maybe have less of a burden of proof? Is that an option?


It's relatively easy - once you are on the ground in Italy - to find apartments being rented by owner; in such cases credit checks, etc., as you have come to expect in the US are not likely to occur. You will be expected to pay as much as two or three months up front and then make your rent payments on time.

If you do use a realtor or other service, be aware that you will pay a full one-month's rent (plus a little more, sometimes) as an agent's fee, and pay again each time the lease is renewed. 

Whatever you do, make sure you have a rental contract and that your landlord understands that you intend to file for "residenza" - some potential landlords will turn you away, either because they want to collect rent under the table or because they don't want to be tied by the type of contract required to obtain residenza.


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## accbgb (Sep 23, 2009)

Italia-Mx said:


> The biggest city in Abruzzo is not L'Aquila. Not only did I pay 1,100 a month, I also paid a 130 euro month condo fee plus gas, electricity, TV tax, garbage fee. These are still the going rates in my city while the "crisis" remains in effect. You can pay less if you want less but smaller places are also more difficult to find.


Yes, of course. L'Aquila is only the 2nd largest city in Abruzzo.

So, for Pescara: Annunci Appartamenti Pescara - Affitto appartamenti Abruzzo - Subito.it

Of course, there was never any reason to believe that the OP had any interest in the largest (or any other) city in Abruzzo. And, as she states, she is comfortable with the prices she has already found.


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## GeordieBorn (Jul 15, 2016)

Think there is a problem here as we live in Abruzzo also (not where the OP is looking for by the way) and for half the quotes here we have a 3 bedroom house we would rent (well no we wont because we live in it). However if you look on the like of casa.it you will find the areas the OP is looking for it's difficult to find a rental for over €1000 per month, anyone paying such is either daft or Donald Trump! Okay not much difference I guess.. 
So real information/advice, get on the ground where you want to be and tell anyone local what you are prepared to pay upfront and you will find a great palce to suit.


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## Italia-Mx (Jan 14, 2009)

Living in the middle of a fairly good sized city without the requirement for a car, good access to public transportation, bars, restaurants and shops, some right in the lobby of your own building, 15 mile beach three blocks away, as well as other amenities and services which can only be found in a city is a far cry from living in a pile of old stones in a remote hill town which is subject to earthquake at any time. Convenience has it's price. By the way, the American and NOT British OP already stated that price is not his/her concern.


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## accbgb (Sep 23, 2009)

Italia-Mx said:


> ...By the way, the American and NOT British OP already stated that price is not his/her concern.


*After* you tried to scare her off. 

In fact, she didn't ask anything at all about rental prices; just about how to satisfy a potential landlord that she had adequate credit resources to be a reliable tenant.


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## KenzoXIV (Nov 13, 2013)

Italia-Mx and Accbgb,

You two aren't married by any chance are you...?:rofl:

I cant speak much for the north but rentals are far cheaper in the south. If you can find a private rental you wont need to satisfy any income requirements (other than convincing the guy you won't rip him off) in terms of agencies I rented from an agency in Cefalu for a year and they never bothered with a credit check (Grazie a dio!)  

But boots on the ground is key. Once your here and asking around, thats where the best information comes from.

Kenzo


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## NickZ (Jun 26, 2009)

Fideiussione bancaria nei contratti di locazione: come funziona?

Here. If the landlord wanted more then the deposit that's what you'd need.

It's in Italian but use google translate if you need . 

Mestre? Really? Spend some time looking around the areas before you rent.


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## Italia-Mx (Jan 14, 2009)

accbgb said:


> *After* you tried to scare her off.
> 
> In fact, she didn't ask anything at all about rental prices; just about how to satisfy a potential landlord that she had adequate credit resources to be a reliable tenant.


I didn't try to scare anybody off. I merely stated what I have paid in rent and utilities in the biggest city in Abruzzo and also said that I'm not familiar with rents in any other region/province/city of Italy. But if you can prove I didn't pay that much in my city, go right ahead.


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## Italia-Mx (Jan 14, 2009)

If anyone is interested, Immobiliare.it is currently advertising a rental in Pescara center city, three BR, two bath, 4th floor, on the lungomare. Rent: 1,000 Euro al mesi. Photos included on the website.


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## accbgb (Sep 23, 2009)

Italia-Mx said:


> If anyone is interested, Immobiliare.it is currently advertising a rental in Pescara center city, three BR, two bath, 4th floor, on the lungomare. Rent: 1,000 Euro al mesi. Photos included on the website.


I also see many, many, 4-5 locali, 2 bagni apartments in Centro in the €400-€650 range. Appartamento in affitto provincia Pescara, affitti Appartamenti in provincia di Pescara - Immobiliare.it


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## KenzoXIV (Nov 13, 2013)

accbgb said:


> I also see many, many, 4-5 locali, 2 bagni apartments in Centro in the €400-€650 range. Appartamento in affitto provincia Pescara, affitti Appartamenti in provincia di Pescara - Immobiliare.it


A new site which hasnt been mentioned for looking is idealista.it I have just rented a house off there down in Sicily and providing all goes well we should be in by the end of January 

Worth a look

Kenzo


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## pudd 2 (Dec 10, 2008)

Italia-Mx said:


> If anyone is interested, Immobiliare.it is currently advertising a rental in Pescara center city, three BR, two bath, 4th floor, on the lungomare. Rent: 1,000 Euro al mesi. Photos included on the website.


move 10 kms out of pescara you will pay 250 eros a month your choice


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## Italia-Mx (Jan 14, 2009)

pudd 2 said:


> move 10 kms out of pescara you will pay 250 eros a month your choice


Almost but these days, I doubt it. In 2001, I was paying 300 euro a month in Roseto, a very small beach town in provincia di Teramo. But I prefer not to drive and without a car, I could not see having to travel by train or bus down to Pescara in order to get another train out of the main station or a flight out of the Pescara airport. This will be the case in any small town outside of the bigger cities in Abruzzo like Pescara or Teramo. So for me life in the biggest city in Abruzzo without the need for a car works best but I do have to pay more in living expenses for the convenience. In the end what you don't pay in rent in a smaller town you will pay in the cost of fuel and maintenance for a car, unless of course, you don't intend to leave that small town.


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