First time renters!

Jwacqui

Hi Everyone!

Well like the title suggests myself and my friend are first time renters!

We have looked at a few apartment and found one we love. Priced at 950 p/m
Landlord said she could go down to 900 but still thats expensive as one room is twice the size and has an en-suite so splitting 900 between two is difficult.

I emailed her today offering 850, seems unlikely she will take it but worth a shot.

I am not sure about what to ask in regards to the apartment before we take somewhere.

Have already asked what average bills are, what furnishings it comes with, parking, what neighbours are like...

Any questions I need to ask that are important??

Also it is a 4th floor apartment and has storage heating. When viewing it was freezing outside but lovely and warm inside the apartment. She said the last bill was €100. I have heard these are expensive to run but also heard high floor apartments tend to heat easier. Are they that bad?

Any other first time renters advice!!

Thanks in advance!

The_Conductor

Hi Jwacqui-

First off- I'd ask to see the last ESB bill (which would be either the very cold Nov/Dec or the better Jan/Feb- and in addition, I'd only pay heed to it, if the apartment was occupied at the time.

As a generalisation- it is easier to heat upper floor apartments than lower floor ones- while it is a massive generalisation- heat does rise- so you do get to leverage your neighbours and those below you' heating.......

You need to get a BER certificate (an energy rating certificate) which will indicate heat loss/insulation etc for the unit. Any 'B' rating would be acceptable- lower would ring loud alarm bells.

Storage heaters do eat electricity- normally there is a separate ESB nighttime meter installed in apartments/houses which rely on storage heaters, to leverage night time rates. Is there a separate meter in this apartment?

You say its on the 4th floor- is there a lift to the 4th floor (you'd be amazed at how exhausted you'd be lugging even groceries up 4 flights of stairs)?

With respect of the rent- it really is a renter's market. Don't be afraid to hurt the landlord's feelings by offering EUR800 (or whatever). Its far more preferable to have EUR800 a month coming in- than nothing........ When did the last tenant move out? How long has it been vacant? The longer its been vacant- the more desperate the landlord......

Just to go back to the ESB bill- we have a B3 energy rating here- and our heating is gas, not electrical- our last 2 month bill was EUR240. The idea that the bill will be EUR100- sounds like incredible wishful thinking to me (particularly given the storage heaters). Storage heaters and immersions for hot water- and quite startling in their energy usage (you can save energy by using CFL light bulbs, good cooking practices etc- but its a drop in the ocean compared to the energy consumed by storage heaters or a hot water immersion).

Shane

mikemac

The heaters are incredibly expensive to run.
On the plus side, a decent apartment should be fairly warm anyway, I don't use the heaters from March until about October

Consider your transport.
What's the story with parking, even if you get a designated space do you see cars on footpaths all over the place so it's a free for all and others will rob your space
Do you cycle and will you be bringing it up to the apartment, probably safest but then you'll get moaning and complaining that you'll mark the walls. They never say that about child buggy's though!
If you've a motorcycle and you're on the 4th floor, security is vital

Jwacqui

Thanks so much for the replies guys!

I emailed offering 850 as my friend can pay 450 for the large room and myself 400 for the smaller double.

Great idea on asking to see the last Electricity bill. Knew about the BER Cert so will ask about that aswell.

The apartment is presently occupied and the tenant was there when we viewed the Apartment.

There is a lift so not too bad, also we took the stairs down and there aren't too many.

There is one underground car spot and then parking outside the apartments which are non allocated but they are bringing a system in where you register a car to your address with NCPS for €12 per annum to try stop cars parking and abusing the spaces. (Been in the area a few times and never noticed a parking problem really)
Visitor parking is by a text system and is 60c and for 24hours.

Any other issues to think of?

I am not sure what the next steps are if the offer is accepted. Deposit? Rent? Etc... Sorry very new to all this!

chicken fingers

If the room is anywhere near twice the size, with en suite, I would be splitting it 475/375 or 500/300 or something. 50 quid a month to double the size of your room and have an en suite seems like too good a deal!

Jwacqui

chicken fingers wrote: »

If the room is anywhere near twice the size, with en suite, I would be splitting it 475/375 or 500/300 or something. 50 quid a month to double the size of your room and have an en suite seems like too good a deal!

Really?? Gosh thats an awful lot extra.

We're friends and I will have the main bathroom to myself. I have a friend in the same situation minus the en-suite and he pays €30 extra for the large room.

pooch90

You said the larger room is twice the size so why should your friend only pay €50 more than you for twice the space? Also the main bathroom is communal, which means all visitors will use it. She may also use it. Nobody's going to go into her ensuite. I'd go for the 475/375 split.

Jwacqui

Landlord emailed back today saying 900 was the lowest she was prepared to go and she has had loads of interest at the 950 she advertised! :mad:

REALLY disappointed! Loved the place! Guess I'll just have to keep on looking! Hope I find something else that I love..

mikemac

Stay looking

And haggle like a cattle dealer!:D
So as hard as you can, the landlord haggles with tradesmen, the bank, for furniture, for everything

So you do the same, they expect it.
If the asking price is good then sure take it but don't hesitate to haggle down a high price

Every day their place is empty they are losing money. So a lot of advantages with you

The_Conductor

Jwacqui wrote: »

Landlord emailed back today saying 900 was the lowest she was prepared to go and she has had loads of interest at the 950 she advertised! :mad:

REALLY disappointed! Loved the place! Guess I'll just have to keep on looking! Hope I find something else that I love..

Jwacqui- I really don't believe a word shes saying. I'd be inclined to respond to her e-mail, along the lines of

'Dear Landlord, I did really love your place. Unfortunately I'm simply not in a position to pay the advertised rate. I will be looking elsewhere over the next few days- but hope to have a lease signed by 21.03.2011 (pick a date) at the latest. If you change your mind in the interim- please revert to me. Kind regards, Jwacqui......'

Do go and look at other places- remember you're looking for somewhere reasonable to rent- you're not buying the place....... Leverage your search todate to draw up a list of must-haves for the place eg.

Proximity to transport to/from whereever you need to get on a daily basis
Proximity to facilities/amenities you want/need (aka- you really don't want to be lugging groceries for miles on end- or reliant on an expensive corner shop that doesn't stock ingredients you habitually use) etc
Second or third floor apartment (dont get ground floor)
No commercial properties on-site
BER certificate for the apartment
If storage heating- is there a nighttime meter
Availability of broadband

Etc, etc......

pooch90

Jwacqui wrote: »

Landlord emailed back today saying 900 was the lowest she was prepared to go and she has had loads of interest at the 950 she advertised! :mad:

REALLY disappointed! Loved the place! Guess I'll just have to keep on looking! Hope I find something else that I love..

She's lying through her teeth!!!!
Why would she bother telling you she could go to 900 but yet other mugs are willing to pay 950? No way Jose!!! Offer 875 to meet her in the middle and as said above give her an end date. She sounds like a chancer....

Jwacqui

Thanks for all the help guys!!

I know I'm not looking for a house to buy but still want somewhere I love and while I'm living at home I have extra time to look around.

I did respond saying that I loved the apartment and had a keen interest, unfortunately I could not match the price and 875 was the highest I could go to. And that it was a pity.

She responded today saying.

"Thanks Jacqui, Best of luck with your search."

So I emailed a few more places today! Hopefully something comes up! Really appreciate the tips and advice!

pooch90

It's fair enough that you want to live somewhere nice. Just make sure you don't over stretch yourself financially. I'd rather live somewhere nice for €850 and save €100 a month than somewhere fab for €950. No point spending bucket loads of cash on someone else's mortgage.

Idbatterim

I really hate places that rely on pumps and electric heaters and immersion tanks. they cost a fortune and are so inconvenient. In relation to the much bigger room. If you got it for E900. Id say 500 - 400. You may feel awkward about it, because its your mate... But the luxury / convenience of a much bigger room cant be underestimated... I agree with trying to get price down, but honestly for the sake of E300 per annum or so each, Id question the head wreck on searching daft constantly, the viewings, the negotiations... That amount sounds reasonable assuming its somewhere decent in Dublin...