# Renting House In The Philippines



## greenstreak1946 (May 28, 2017)

When renting a house there how do I know the land is with the house? What I mean is can a landlord rent the house and not own the land to it? I am going to rent a house in Camella subdivision in Tagum City. I was quoted the rent payment. Also I am told it is hard to transfer utilities out of owner's name to the renter. Is that true? I was told the utilities would stay in owner's name and we just take the bill and pay it each month for the electric and water.

I don't want to give them a bunch of money to rent this place and find out I got bill problems. I am not there yet. I was letting my GF handle this transaction. I will be there next month so I am helpless here in the states on this matter. I have told her all the questions to ask the owner before committing to renting the place.

All advice will be appreciated.

thanks

art


----------



## fmartin_gila (May 15, 2011)

Art, At one of the apartments we rented that is how we handled it. The water and the electric were never transferred and stayed in the owners name, we just took the bill to each office and paid it. Worked with no problems for us and when we left the owner did not have to transfer it back to him. As to the house & lot, I don't know if they can be rented separately or not, I do know that a house or a lot can be SOLD separately and independently from each other so one has to be careful if buying.

Fred


----------



## Simon1983 (Jun 6, 2016)

Hi Art. As Fred said it is pretty standard here to keep the bills in the landlord's name. I don't know if this is because the utility companies prefer it that way or what. But as Fred said, you will receive the bills each month and you can pay them directly yourself to the utility company.
As for the landlord owing the land, I'm not sure exactly what you are asking. In my experience here you just pay a month deposit, and then pay monthly so no long contracts with renting. 
I'm sure the landlord will be happy to have a foreigner renting the place as there wont be too many people living in the house and you're more likely to pay on time and pay every month... so my advice just pay monthly and you wont have too many worries. I'd be wary if they have asked for several months payment in advance.


----------



## greenstreak1946 (May 28, 2017)

Hey Fred thanks for the info about the utilities. 

Hey Simon,

They are not requiring me to pay the 6 months in advance. They said if I did they would give me 1 month free. This is a new house built in Camella subdivision 3 years ago. The parents of the daughter that owns it moved back to the province. So I got a feeling there is a mortgage on the home and they might need the money. I am just guessing. I wouldn't want to move in there and have a mortgage problem where they didn't pay it. My GF is on her way there today to meet with the daughter. I have told her to ask a lot of questions. They have agreed for her to sign an initial agreement for 2 months and we pay that until I get there. then I will have to sign the real lease agreement and then I have the option to pay for 6 months in advance. I just hope they are not behind on mortgage payments if there is a mortgage on it.

thanks

art


----------



## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

Well art, good advice from Fred and Simon, obviously you have seen the pics and will be guided by your SO, Do you like? Is this a long term, have you been to the area? Many questions on that topic. Yes just go with the flow and enjoy, our condo that we leased for 12 months from a very astute owner, (lovely lady). Lease in place, our water and electricity bills always arrived in a third party name managed by the complex and for my part always fair, cheap even by western standards. We were happy with the area as it was close for Bengie's work and facilities, with negotiations dropped the price by 20% for paying a year in advance, the PHP 50K deposit was returned to our account within 2 weeks of vacating, nary a complaint from me with our landlord as we/I returned the condo to the owner in a western condition unlike the way we received it. 
Due diligence of course and the old gut feeling. Good luck and prosper art.

Cheers, Steve.


----------



## greenstreak1946 (May 28, 2017)

Hey Steve,

I was in the Camella subdivision 5 year ago when they just started to develop it. I was in the 4 model homes they were going to build there. 
so, I do know the area well. the daughter is managing the place for her parents that moved back to the province where they were from originally. The lease is for 10 months. All she said was to my GF if we pay for 6 months in advance we would get 1 month free. That free month doesn't really mean anything to me. It is not that much to save. We have rented the home now. I paid for one month plus deposit until I get there in about 4 weeks. Then I have to sign a lease agreement if I want to keep the place. I guess I will determine what to do after I get there. At least we secured the home so I will have a place to go to when I arrive there and not have to stay in hotel. 

thanks for all the advise guys

art


----------

