What you should pay attention to when renting a house: Energy certificate, additional costs, ….

House rental – The easiest and fastest way to get enough living space is to rent a house instead of buying or building it. What are the advantages of renting a house and what you should look for when searching and viewing, you can find out here.

Find a house for rent quickly through our real estate agency Lukinski

Has your apartment become too small because your family has grown? Or do you generally want more living space and perhaps a garden of your own? We at Lukinski – Ihr Hausverkauf have a large repertoire of offers in many German cities and communities, which we would be happy to show you during a viewing. We would also be happy to advise you in detail about what you should pay attention to when renting a house.

In any case, renting a house is often the best alternative if you need more space. You don’t have to buy or even build yourself. This is because many homeowners rent out their properties. This way, you don’t have to commit to a property or deal with the burden of building one. In addition, financing is a lot easier because you only have to pay costs for the monthly rent, the deposit and the real estate agent’s fee. Even for apartment communities, renting a house is a great alternative to living in an apartment. Generally speaking, single-family homes are a bit more expensive to rent. Cheaper alternatives are terraced houses and semi-detached houses.

The advantages – garden, garage & tool shed

The advantages of renting a house are obvious. Because often you get your own garden to go with the house, where you can not only relax, but also garden if you wish. Rented houses have sufficient ancillary rooms, such as a loft, cellar, garage and sometimes also a tool shed. As a tenant, you are not committing yourself long term either locally or financially and enjoy tenant-friendly notice periods. It’s also good to know that as a tenant, you have little responsibility over the upkeep and maintenance of the house. This is the sole responsibility of the owner. You save yourself a lot of financing as a new tenant and, apart from the rent, you only have to pay the deposit and possibly the estate agent’s fee. The landlord is responsible for all other costs. Often, however, the option is still open to them to purchase the house in the future.

Another advantage of living in a house is the unrestricted privacy without neighbours living directly above or next to your four walls. If your life situation changes and you want to move to another city, you don’t have to spend a lot of time looking for a buyer. Plus, rental homes are often cheaper in rent than large apartments in a central location. However, that doesn’t mean you won’t find houses in central locations. Depending on the location you choose, there are also rental houses that offer you good access to public transportation or are even located right in the center of town. So a rented house doesn’t immediately mean that you have to put up with long commutes to work, school or university every day. The only disadvantage of renting a house is that you have little freedom of design, i.e. you are not allowed to make any major or irrevocable changes to the house.

We are happy to support you in your search for a suitable rental home. However, we advise you to take plenty of time and not to rush into anything. The rent for the house should not exceed your budget under any circumstances and should not make up more than a third of your monthly income. Also, take a look in advance at what services are included in the incidental rental costs and what additional ones you might have to pay. Be sure to compare rental prices with the local rent index. Also remember that detached houses often have a higher heating requirement, which you as a tenant must of course bear yourself.

Financing and the first impression on the homeowner

Before you decide to buy a house for rent, you should consider the financing. The costs for a rental house are made up of the cold rent, i.e. the price per square metre, and the ancillary costs. The price per square metre depends on the region and the location and can often be estimated in advance using various rent indexes. However, houses with particularly good facilities are usually somewhat more expensive. So don’t be surprised if the prices per square metre differ from region to region. In any case, the rent index is not legally binding, but only gives you a rough point of reference. The operating or ancillary costs are regulated separately in the rental contract. These costs, which are added to the basic rent, usually include property tax, sewage charges and cold and hot water, but also street cleaning and much more. Sometimes a flat rate for heating costs is also agreed in the rental contract, which is adjusted annually to actual consumption. As a rule, you have to calculate between one and three euros per square metre for the operating costs. Bear in mind that you also have to pay the electricity costs to the respective energy supplier.

Once you have clarified the financing question, you can look at the first offers. Observe some rules of conduct for the house inspection and the contact with the landlord. Because a homeowner looks at the future tenant very closely. Decisive for him are always a trustworthy tenant and a reliable payment of rent. You create the first good impression when you make contact. The way in which you communicate with the landlord decides whether an appointment to view the property will be made at all. In any case, an e-mail should be formulated politely and without errors. If you hire Lukinski as your real estate agent, you do not have to worry about this point, of course. We will first show you the property and then establish contact with the landlord for you. If the viewing takes place directly through the landlord, make sure that you are well groomed, i.e. appropriately dressed and have a neat hairstyle. It is best to bring a tenant’s self-assessment, a rent debt-free certificate and a Schufa credit report with you to the viewing appointment. The tenant self-disclosure contains important information about your financial situation for the landlord. This includes, above all, proof of salary. The submission of a tenant self-disclosure is not mandatory. However, you will probably be rejected as a tenant if you refuse to provide this information. It is best to have your previous landlord issue you with a rent debt-free certificate. This shows that you have always paid your rent on time in the past. With a Schufa credit report you show the landlord your creditworthiness.

What you should look out for when viewing a house

A house inspection runs a little differently than an apartment inspection. Because with a house there are not only the premises, perhaps on several floors, but also adjoining rooms and buildings. In addition, you should pay special attention to the building fabric and many other important aspects. After all, the house should also protect you well from the weather in winter. Therefore, take plenty of time for the house inspection to absorb and process the countless impressions. Before you visit the house or choose one for viewing, check whether the offer meets your expectations.

For example, ask yourself whether the house has a garage and how much additional rent you should expect for it. Is the house located in such a way that you can also reach it by public transport? Or do you absolutely need a car? If so, is there sufficient parking available in front of the house or in the immediate vicinity? It is also important that there are sufficient shopping facilities close to the house. Are there recreational parks, swimming pools, doctors and pharmacies, a school for the children and, for example, a gym nearby? In addition, the residential area should appeal to you personally. Then pay attention to the size of the property. Ask yourself whether the size of the garden is sufficient for your plans, for example to have breakfast outside in the summer or to plant a vegetable patch. Are there trees, shrubs and other plants you should take care of? What about outbuildings? It’s best to get a clear picture of what you want your new home to look like before the viewing, so you can find the rental home you want more quickly and reliably.

Successfully inspecting real estate: How to do it – Video

When viewing the house, let the room layout work its magic on you. Remember that empty houses always look bigger and brighter than when they are actually furnished. Imagine your furniture in it and think about whether everything could find a good place. It is best to take a penetrating look at the floor plan of the house. Remember that you should be provided with enough rooms, like enough space for your children or perhaps for your workplace. Moreover, a room in the house should be as big as possible where you spend most of your time. It does not matter if it is the kitchen, the living room or the porch. Look at the functional rooms in detail. They should be up to your requirements. The entryway should have enough space and storage. For families, a bathroom with two sinks is suitable. Often, an additional toilet on the upper floor has also proved beneficial. Rooms without windows can only be used as storage rooms. Also consider the possible uses of passage rooms.

Last but not least, when deciding for or against a house, also consider the solar orientation of the house. It is advantageous if the living rooms are oriented towards the south. The functional rooms may calmly face north. Also check the actual size of the house. Rooms with sloping roofs, for example, only count as half.

Conclusion: Renting a house brings you many advantages. Often get a rental house are even cheaper than large apartments in a city center. This way you can fulfill your dream of a house with a garden without having to make a large investment in buying or building a house. Call us if you would like to rent a house. We will show you numerous attractive offers and are guaranteed to find a suitable solution!