Moving out and getting your own place is an important moment in an adult’s life, but it can also be daunting. If you’re looking to rent a place, it is totally normal to feel a little overwhelmed or confused since there are so many things to consider.
Don’t worry, we got a few Malaysians to share some of their home-renting mistakes. So, read on to find out how you can avoid them!
1. What you see is not always what you get
Once you’ve decided upon the area you want to live in and began your search to find the right home, make sure you choose a property site with clear photos of the house units so you know what to expect when you schedule your visit. In this day and age, you shouldn’t simply trust the listings you found on the internet because:
- The pictures could be outdated and the house is no longer in good shape
- It can be a fake listing
- The price of the listing does not reflect what you will get
Plus, this can help you to not only familiarise yourself with the house but also to take note of any parts of the home that need repairing.
2. Paying too much in rent
This one is pretty common among first-time renters. There is a lot to research when you’re finding a house but most importantly, you need to know the true value of the property. Thankfully, there are some trustworthy property websites that you can browse through in order to gauge the estimated value of any home that you’re eyeing.
Another factor of overpaying the rent can also be caused by not taking advantage of rewards that are offered to renters. The property market is quite a competitive one so if you know where to look, you can definitely stumble across a really good deal.
In fact, we might have a little something for you, but more on that later. ?
3. Not visiting the neighbourhood during rush hours
Apart from the home itself, it’s also crucial for you to explore the neighbourhood to make sure that it is safe and convenient to ensure you get to keep up a good quality of life upon moving in.
You can try visiting the neighbourhood at different times of the day, especially during rush hours to see the flow of traffic in the area. This is so that you can properly get a feel of what it’s like to live there and whether it is a good fit for your lifestyle.
4. Not discussing the repair work for the home
Your property may look perfect now but trust us, it won’t stay that way forever! Properties are always in need of some fixing. You may not be able to anticipate what will happen but you can definitely save money and time by discussing with your landlord about who will be responsible to fix the house.
Ideally, your landlord should:
- Agree with you what responsibilities belong to you and him.
- Be ready to resolve issues that are his responsibility.
- Allow you to fix it first and deduct the cost from your rent later on.
5. Not signing a black and white contract
One of the most common mistakes among renters is not signing a black and white contract with your landlord. No matter how nice your landlord might seem, it is never enough to rely on just a verbal agreement between the two of you.
Having a contract will definitely give you more benefits, such as:
- Not having to worry about getting kicked out suddenly.
- The landlord won’t be able to hike up the rent for no reason.
- You won’t get surprised by hidden charges.
So make sure to be safe than homeless sorry.
6. Not taking photos or videos of the house before moving in
It’s pretty normal for some properties to have a few ‘imperfections’ here and there, especially if the property is not new. Because of this, it’s very important for you to take some photos or videos of the house before moving in. The whole purpose is to document the condition of the place before you start living there so that you can capture any pre-existing damages in the house.
This way, you can always look back to see the real state of the home to avoid any future confusion or arguments between you and your landlord.
Speaking of moving in, if you’re currently hunting for a place to rent, we just heard about this deal that sounds almost too good to be true…
The up-and-coming home-renting platform, Instahome, is currently offering 12% OFF of your first month’s rent to the first 100 redemptions! Get the offer here!
All you need to do is to fill up your info in this form. This promo is currently ongoing until 31st March 2021 and it’s only available for the first 100 redemptions, so make sure to hurry!
In these struggling times, this promo will DEFINITELY come in handy for those who need it.
In case you haven’t heard of Instahome before, they’re actually a fully digital home-renting platform in Malaysia where you can find a home to rent and move into with just these three simple steps.
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Step 1: Find a home that you love
- The listings on Instahome are verified and photos are shot by the team themselves so you can be sure that they’re real. What you see is what you get!
- With 3D virtual tours of every unit listed on Instahome, you can view the home without even going out. (This is especially useful during the current CMCO and if you’re an out-of-state renter.)
- You’ll have a choice to schedule an appointment for house-viewing straight from the listing.
Step 2: Reserve your home
- After you’ve found a home you like, you can reserve the house and submit your documents online.
- The landlord will have 48 hours to accept your reservation.
- Once you receive the landlord’s confirmation, you can sign the agreement online and pay for everything through Instahome as well.
Step 3: Manage your home
- You can pay the monthly rent via Instahome’s platform to collect points and get rewarded! (They’re the only platform in Malaysia who will do so!)
- If your home needs anything repaired, you can also discover services via Instahome.
- Instahome’s Instabuddy will be supporting you throughout your rental journey as your trusted advisor.
Sounds pretty awesome, right? If you need any other information on Instahome or that December deal we just talked about, don’t forget to visit their website here. BTW, did we tell you that Instahome is the only platform in Malaysia that offers FREE tenancy agreements? ?
So make sure to check them out!
Do you have any other mistakes you’ve committed while renting a place? Share them with us below!
