# advice on renting privately in Italy



## Emmawhite22 (Nov 22, 2007)

Hello everyone! Sorry for another post!

I'm American, and my French husband and I want to move to Rome. We're going down to look at apartments next week. We've never rented privately (not through an agency) before and would love any advice on what to look out for! We both speak fluent italian, so that is not a problem, but neither of us know what to expect, what kind of contract is normal, and if there are any pitfalls to avoid. Any input at all would be wonderful, thanks!

Emma


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## Giacomina (May 30, 2012)

Emmawhite22 said:


> Hello everyone! Sorry for another post!
> 
> I'm American, and my French husband and I want to move to Rome. We're going down to look at apartments next week. We've never rented privately (not through an agency) before and would love any advice on what to look out for! We both speak fluent italian, so that is not a problem, but neither of us know what to expect, what kind of contract is normal, and if there are any pitfalls to avoid. Any input at all would be wonderful, thanks!
> 
> Emma


Hi Emma!

When I've rented privately there hasnt been a contract. 
Here in Calabria we rented without an agency and no contract. But things werent done like hot water and electricity. So you do have to be smart and check things because its hard to live for weeks without some things. We werent asked for any deposit, maybe because they knew things werent quite right.

I rented a sweet little apartment in Rome for a year that a friend of an aquaintance knew about, no contract or deposit. I had been renting a room, so I was grateful to get my own place. It didnt have hot water in the kitchen, just in the little bath tub and there was no washing machine. 
It was on the 5th floor (no elevator) and the utilities and condo fee were high.
The heating was controled centrally, which is comman in Rome -- it began in mid November and stopped in mid April. It was turned on in our building from 4:30 in the afternoon until 7:30 evenings and then again in the morning for a short time. 
I learned to wash clothes out daily and let them dry during those times on the radiator.

They decided to renovate the apartment and asked me to leave but generously offered to me my last month rent free and gave me notice a full month and a half before.

I really enjoyed living in Rome for three years and spent many hours of my days there walking and going into the all the beautiful churches.

I hope you find it as wonderful a city as I did.


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