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On the Moscow rental market, there are frequent cases of deception, misunderstandings between tenants and owners. The only way to avoid problems is to be armed with the knowledge of the difficulties that can be expected in finding and living in a rented apartment.

Rent fraud

Providing false or outdated information about rented apartments - one of the ways to cheat. There are a huge number of housing search agencies operating in the market, and some of them are actually engaged in cheating. Most often they work according to the following scheme: for a "moderate" fee, the agency provides a list with phone numbers and addresses of apartments. In fact, it turns out that most of them are either handed over a long time ago, or do not give up at all. It is pointless to make claims to the agency: information (service) has been provided, no one will return the money. It is very simple to distinguish such an organization from a real estate agency: in the second case, the price of the service is 100% of the monthly rent and is paid only after the necessary option has been found. News agencies charge less for their "services".

Rented housing rented for a short time for the purpose of deception Is the most popular rental scam. On the lampposts bus stops and information boards you can often see the announcements of the renting of apartments, and the prices of such offers are much lower than market prices. In this case, the fraudulent scheme is as follows: the fraudster rents an apartment for a short period, after which he makes an advertisement. Gullible citizens come to look at housing. Under various pretexts, they are begging for rent for a month in advance and a deposit, and keys are given out. When the victims arrive at the apartment the next day with their belongings, they may well run into other "tenants" at the entrance. Another option is also possible: some time after settling in the apartment, the “real” owner of the apartment, who has just “left the zone”, or some “relative” of the tenant, who declares his rights to the living space and demands that it be immediately released, is announced.

After the conclusion of the contract

When an apartment is the subject of a property dispute , O quiet life employers don't have to dream. There are times when the owner's real brother returns from the "zone" or his ex-wife appears on the doorstep. In this case, the tenants find themselves involved in material disputes, and they themselves are to blame for this: when renting, it is imperative to check whether the apartment is privatized and whether its owner is the sole owner. If the apartment is the property of the municipality, it is necessary to obtain a written permission for its delivery. Without such a document, any person registered in it has the right to prohibit taking it. If the privatized housing has several owners, you need to obtain from each of them a written consent to rent it out.

Sudden increase in rent - a frequent way to "make money" on tenants. It happens that after two to three months, the owner suddenly declares for no reason that the rental amount is increasing. In this case, he expects that the tenants will prefer to pay the extra several thousand, than to suffer again with the search for housing and the move.

Disputes about the timeliness of payment of rent often lead to the termination of the employment contract. There are times when, having received the rent for a month, the owner of the apartment "suddenly" forgot about it. “Memory problems” may be caused by the desire to get rid of the tenants (after all, according to the contract, they can be evicted if they miss their monthly payment) or simply by the inadequacy of the apartment owner.

Owner's claims to the condition of the apartment most often occur when the tenant is about to move out. According to the terms of the contract, he must do this in a month, and during this time the owner often begins to make claims about the condition of the housing. He may suddenly forget that the parquet was scratched, the sofa fell apart, and the upholstery on the door was tattered long before the contract was signed. Most often, the purpose of such claims is not to return the deposit to the tenant.

Safe rental rules

1. Search for housing only through acquaintances or with the help of professional agents.

2. Be sure to thoughtfully check the owner's passport and documents for the apartment, give money only against receipt.

3. Draw up a lease agreement and an act of acceptance and transfer of an apartment, which must include:

  • passport details of the lessee and lessor;
  • characteristics of the rented apartment (address, area, state of wear, pieces of furniture, etc.),
  • the cost of the monthly rent and the time during which the lessor has no right to increase it;
  • the rights of the employer (the ability to carry out repairs);
  • the landlord's rights (the number of visits by the landlord, the time and days on which they will pass), the time frame in which he can announce the eviction of the tenants.

4. Discuss in advance all the important points: who will repair the plumbing in the event of a breakdown, how the payment for utilities and long-distance calls will be made, etc. This should be done even if the owner is your good friend.

Modern society is characterized by high mobility. We do not sit still: after school we go to study in another region, change jobs, create a family away from our parents, move from city to city in search of self-realization and personal prospects. The saying: “Where I was born, I came in handy there,” has long been considered an anachronism. Easily changing their place of residence, people are forced to look for housing for a long and very long period. It's about how to properly rent an apartment ...

1. Go to professionals

Of course, the most correct thing would be to contact an agency, where a specially trained person will help you with the selection of an apartment and the preparation of primary documents. Only agency services can be equal to 50% or 100% of the monthly payment for the found apartment. And do not forget that in the real estate market there are a lot of one-day agencies that work according to the "prepayment - information" scheme. That is, you pay for a piece of paper with the addresses of the apartments for rent, the owners of which often do not even know that their apartment is “for rent”. There are a dime a dozen of apartment swindlers, especially in a metropolis, and new rental fraud schemes are emerging all the time.

2.Check documents

If you are lucky enough to find a landlord on your own, without intermediaries, then immediately ask if he agrees to draw up a lease agreement and provide all the necessary documents? If the landlord hesitates and tries to assure you of his decency, it is better to refuse such a deal. Let me explain why ...

First of all, you need to find out whether the owner of the apartment is real in front of you. It often happens that several people are registered in an apartment, and when one decides to rent this living space without the knowledge of the other, the other has full right raise the issue of your eviction at any time. By the way, the owner of the rented apartment is by no means a king and a god rolled into one. All his and your rights and obligations are regulated in legislation.

Secondly, there is a fraudulent sublease scheme, which comes across those who do not check the owner's documents and take their word for it. Imagine that a certain citizen X rents an apartment for a week from citizen Y. And after a couple of days he re-leases it for six months to citizen Z. He asks him for an advance payment three to four months in advance (for example, to pay off utility bills) and disappears. And after a while Y comes and absolutely legally and with a scandal kicks the unfortunate and short-sighted Z out into the street. Therefore, first of all, ask to show the documents for ownership or the deed of sale, utility bills in the name of the landlord and check his personal documents (not only a passport, but also, for example, a driver's license). Because it is not difficult to forge one document, and several are too troublesome. A dishonest dealer will most likely refuse your request for document verification.

3. get to know the neighbors

Be sure to ask the host to introduce you to the neighbors. It will certainly become clear whether this is his apartment. Find out from them the history of this housing: who lived before you, how often tenants change here - believe me, neighbors often have very interesting information... If the house is new, then it is absolutely not scary if you go to the local housing office and check the name of the owner from strict, but responsive to chocolate and compliments from aunts.

4. Make a contract

If all questions regarding the ownership and personality of the owner are settled, be sure to offer to draw up a lease agreement for the apartment. Even a handwritten document and signed by two parties (and, ideally, with a witness) has legal force. Advice: if the landlord is afraid of going to the notary, then in the contract indicate the lease term is no more than 364 days, that is, less than a year.

The rental agreement must contain the passport data of both parties, information about the apartment (address, area, condition), rental period, cost and method of payment. Often the owners ask you to pay a month in advance. This should also be written about. The invariability of the size of the fee is legally implied for the entire period specified in the contract.

5.Describe the property

Do not forget to make an inventory of the property and its condition in addition to the contract. Otherwise, then it will be difficult to prove that there was no TV in the kitchen, and that the sofa was not ripped off by your children, but by the time and previous tenants. If you decide to settle down seriously and for a long time, ask the owner for written permission for minor changes to the interior (for example, driving nails into the wall for your favorite painting), this will save you a lot of misunderstandings.

6.Rights and obligations of the parties

According to domestic legislation, all sorts of in-line repairs of housing, for example, leaking taps, fallen off wallpaper or cracked toilet bowl, falls on the shoulders of the landlord. Therefore, be sure to indicate that troubleshooting will be carried out at the expense of the apartment owner, for example, on account of a monthly payment. Otherwise, you will have to eliminate the leak in the bathroom for your hard-earned money, or wait for this favor from the landlord. The owner has the right to check the condition of his house, but this does not mean that he can come without your knowledge or whenever he pleases - specify when and how you will contact.

7.End of the lease

And, of course, stipulate the conditions for the early termination of the contract. As a rule, we are talking about a month's notice of eviction. By the way, there is no reason to evict you before the expiration of even such a self-made contract during the heating season. Well, unless you have trashed an apartment, you do not pay rent and, in general, a great sociopath, dangerous to others. Then, through the court (!) You can be put out the door in the cold. It is your responsibility to keep your home in order, not to delay payment, to respect the rules of the human community and to abide by the laws.

It is not difficult to rent an apartment, it is difficult to do it competently. Be vigilant, patient and respect each other!

In order to save money, many refuse the services of real estate agencies, and are looking for them on their own. To avoid possible risks and not get caught by scammers, you need to know the intricacies of choosing an apartment and drawing up a contract.

How to quickly find the best option in terms of quality and price

If you want to find a respectable owner, ask your relatives and friends if someone is renting out an apartment.

Do not rush to submit your ad on the Internet yourself - scammers may come out. Clearly make up the requirements for the property and the price range, and choose an apartment among the announcements on the city's forums and in periodicals.

Compare all offers in this category of apartments to understand the range of prices. For example, how much can you rent a one-room apartment for, depending on:

  • location;
  • area;
  • repair;
  • setting.

Go to the analysis of ads for all factors. It is better to make a list in advance of what is needed in the apartment, and a separate list of characteristics - in which you are ready to compromise.

Errors at the stage of real estate selection

Find an apartment in good location at an affordable price is a difficult task, because there is a risk of being deceived. In order not to waste time, it is necessary to weed out unfavorable offers at the stage of searching for an apartment.

Pay attention to the ad itself:

  1. Photos should be real, not staged designer shots.
  2. If the price is too low, it means that the apartment's shortcomings are kept silent.
  3. A laudatory description could point to scammers.
  4. Give preference to advertisements in periodicals over signboards on poles.
  5. Avoid ads in which the owner specifies a move to another country or a long business trip as the reason for the change.
  6. Do not rent an apartment, the owner of which requires a deposit or offers an installment plan.

During communication on the phone, the owner must provide all the information of interest, and not insist on an immediate meeting.

Where to choose an apartment

The area plays no less important role than the state inside. When choosing the location of the apartment, go out of your own needs: it should be close to work, relatives or a place of study.

Take into account the lifestyle and needs - someone will suit a noisy center with bars and discos, someone - a quiet, cozy area outside the city.

If there are children, look for good schools nearby, playgrounds and kindergartens.

When choosing an area, pay attention to the following:

  1. Ecology- find out if there are factories and enterprises nearby that release gases harmful to health into the atmosphere.
  2. Safety- avoid criminal areas where patrol cars and policemen are rare.
  3. Transport junction- there should be stops near the house public transport... Check if they are located near the house runways and the railroad
  4. Developed infrastructure- a huge advantage will be the market, supermarket, cozy cafes and parks.

How to inspect an apartment

Before entering an apartment, carefully inspect the outside of the house.

Pay attention to the presence of cracks, the condition of the roof, lighting in the entrance, the presence of an intercom and an elevator. A dirty, unkempt entrance will indicate dysfunctional and unprofitable neighbors.

If there is fungus in the entrance and you feel dampness or high humidity, flooding often occurs in the house.

The first thing to do when renting an apartment is to talk to your neighbors in order to establish the identity of the owner of the apartment.

For official confirmation, you can resort to the following actions:

  1. Creating an electronic application in the system - for this you need to go to the official portal of Rosreestr, fill out the form, indicating the address of the object and the type of statement, as well as personal data. After paying for the service, information about the real owners of the apartment will be sent to your address. This information is for informational purposes only and is not legally binding. For official data, you should contact the regional authorities. This service will cost 150 rubles.
  2. Contacting the housing office, which stores all information about the owners living in the territory under their control. Such appeals are rarely crowned with success - the housing office reserves the right not to disseminate personal information about the tenants.
  3. Chat with the local police and the police. Swindlers are rarely found, however, law enforcement agencies keep "black lists" that contain information about scammers and addresses of apartments that become objects of scams.
  4. Using the services of a notary is a last resort, as it requires additional costs. A notary has the right to receive information on a request for ownership.
  5. The tax office stores data about the subject, which regularly pays real estate tax. A significant disadvantage of this method is that a serious reason is needed to submit an appeal.

It is also possible to identify a dishonest owner in person - he will hesitate to answer uncomfortable questions, rush when inspecting an apartment, and convince how profitable the deal is. He will also reduce the cost of rent, and avoid questions about his place of residence.

Advice! When communicating with the owner, mention that you have previously encountered fraudsters and turned to law enforcement agencies. This will scare off unscrupulous owners.

List of documents to be checked:

  1. Landlord's passport or other documents that prove his identity.
  2. Checks from the housing office for utility bills.
  3. Information from the tax service about the payment of real estate tax.
  4. Notarized documents confirming the ownership of the leased object. Most often, this is a contract for the sale and purchase of living space.
  5. real estate, which indicates the state registration of living space.
  6. Confirmation in writing from all residents that are registered in the house, that they have nothing against renting out the apartment and agree with the provisions of the contract.

The main risks

In order not to fall for the tricks of fraudsters, it is important to take precautions in time.

Main risks:

  1. Renting out an apartment to several clients at once - to insure yourself against unexpected guests, persuade the owner of the apartment to change the lock on the front door before moving in. Changing the lock should take place when both parties are present.
  2. Renting someone else's apartment - sometimes scammers rent an apartment for one day, and then re-rent it for several months. To prevent this from happening, always ask for documents for an apartment and talk to your neighbors before drawing up a contract.
  3. Prepayment for apartment inspection - you find a suitable ad, and the owner invites you to the office by phone, where a small amount is required for a preliminary inspection of the apartment. At the specified time, the person does not come, and the office moves to another location.
  4. Claims for the right to lease from relatives - after renting an apartment, other owners (grandmothers, children, grandchildren) may visit, who will oppose the right to live. When preparing documents, ask for full list tenants who are registered in the apartment and their permission to rent the object.
  5. Creating conditions after which the tenant himself decides to move out of the apartment - carefully inspect the apartment and discuss the living conditions with the owner in advance.

To avoid various scam schemes, follow these rules:

  1. Always get to know your neighbors and the precinct.
  2. Don't give money in advance.
  3. Write down and verify the owner's address and home telephone number.
  4. Ask a lot of questions about the apartment and about the previous residents - the swindler will get nervous and lie.
  5. Demand documents from the owner.

Advice! Insist on inspecting the apartment in the evening - scammers work mainly during the day.

How to draw up a lease agreement

While compiling, pay attention to the following points:

  1. Lease term- if it is not specified in the document, this means that either party can terminate the contract at any time.
  2. Rent price- the contract specifies the amount of the regular payment and the method of payment. In the future, this amount can be changed, but not more often than once a year.
  3. The contract must be drawn up exclusively in paper form (no oral agreements) in several copies.
  4. Housing conditions- the owner is obliged to create all conditions for a favorable stay of the client. If necessary, the contract can indicate a clause on the repair work, indicating which of the parties will pay for them.
  5. Obligations of the tenant- he must maintain decent housing, pay rent on time and take care of property. For failure to fulfill obligations, both the lessee and the lessor may be liable, which consists in paying a fine or in terminating the contract.

How to draw up an inventory of property

If you are renting an apartment with the property of the landlord, it is important to correctly make an inventory of all the items that are in the apartment. The inventory of property is attached to the contract in writing and can be used during the resolution of disputes and conflicts.

The inventory is carried out by both parties: the lessor records the model, condition, quantity and year of manufacture of the item, and the tenant checks its functionality and actual condition.

It's no secret that most apartments with good repair can be found only through realtors, because they have huge databases. Is it possible to independently contact the owner of a good apartment? The video contains tips for finding an apartment on your own, plus answers to some other questions that arise for those who are looking for an apartment to rent. Evgeniya Skrynnik answers.

Fresh renovation, cleanliness, a smiling and friendly owner and, most importantly, a very attractive price - all this is by no means a reason for a tenant looking for housing to immediately move into an apartment, much less pay a deposit three months in advance. The site "RIA Real Estate" has collected five expert tips that will allow you to learn about the intricacies of renting and not be left with a nose, and besides, on the street.

Check the documents for the apartment

There are several types of fraudulent activities on the part of landlords that should be kept in mind by all those who are looking for rental housing.

For example, says Maria Baskova, head of the Azbuka Zhilya lease department, in lease relations there is such a phenomenon as sublease of housing - when the tenant re-leases the apartment to third parties, of course, without informing the owner. According to the interlocutor of the agency, in this case, the fraudster rents an apartment for rent, say, for seven days. During this time, he manages to retake it to several tenants at a price significantly lower than the market price, but, having received an advance payment for several months, he hides. Unsuccessful tenants of an apartment remain without money and without housing.

Means of "self-defense" in this case are rather commonplace and simple. In order not to fall for the bait of a swindler, before paying money, make sure that the apartment belongs to the owner, insists Vadim Cherdantsev, a senior lawyer in the Land. Real Estate. Construction practice of the Cliff law firm. "Such information can be obtained on the basis of an extract from the Unified State Register of Rights to Real Estate. To obtain it, you need to submit an appropriate request to the territorial subdivision of the Office of the Federal Service for State Registration, Cadastre and Cartography or (Rosreestr), pay 200 rubles of the state duty and wait only 5 days. In Moscow, you can also contact the multifunctional center, they are available in every district. Any citizen can request an extract, "the lawyer explains.

When renting an apartment, the tenant also has the right to demand a passport from the owner, and, after checking the documents for the apartment, conclude a lease agreement with the owner of the apartment, which should spell out the main wishes, requirements and obligations of the parties, adds Baskova. And, of course, you need to give money only on receipt, she emphasizes.

How to properly draw up a rental agreement. Advice >>>

Specify the lease term in the contract

"In the spring and summer period, with the appearance of seasonal apartments on the rental market, there are owners who give out their seasonal apartments for rent for an apartment that is rented for a long time. As a result, the tenant is forced to look for housing again in a few months and move," Baskov is another example of deceiving a tenant.

In order to avoid such an unpleasant situation, you must immediately insist on concluding a contract in writing, indicating the terms of employment.

By the way, Cherdantsev notes, if the term is not reflected in the lease agreement, it is considered concluded for five years. After the conclusion of the contract, the owner will no longer be able to simply kick out the tenant and terminate the contract. In case of any disagreement between the parties, the contract is terminated only in court, the lawyer specifies.

Do not go alone to inspect the apartment

Be friendly, but keep your distance from the owner

As for the behavior of the employer, then, according to Baskova, there is no need to invent anything or specially adapt to the landlord, the main thing is to be calm and friendly. "Never react violently to possible changes in the price or lease terms, if you construct a conversation correctly and calmly, the result, as a rule, will be in your favor, "Baskova is convinced.

Gutsu advises the tenant to treat the rented apartment as his own, not to be afraid to nail a shelf or call a plumber again. But what is not exactly necessary, in her opinion, is excessive attention, tea parties and gifts to the landlord. As in any business, in a rental relationship it is important to show yourself to be responsible, diligent, with a good memory, but at the same time "keep your distance", the realtor notes.

What you should pay attention to and what you need to check before renting an apartment:

  1. Housing can only be rented out by the owner of this property or a person by proxy.
  2. A price that is significantly lower than average rental prices should alert you. Low cost is the most common trap for gullible tenants.
  3. The intermediary's request to pay urgently or viewing it is also an indicator of the agent's uncleanliness. Those realtors who are not going to deceive the client in advance will never demand money in advance.

How to rent an apartment so as not to be deceived

  1. Check the documents proving the owner's ownership of the home. Moreover, it is necessary to look only the originals of the documents, and not their copies, copies are easy to forge. Ask the owner to show you the title deed. You can also look at the sale and purchase agreement, the donation agreement, the privatization agreement, on the basis of which the right to the apartment was transferred to the owner of the apartment. It is very good if the owner of the apartment provides you with the Unified State Register. If there is no such statement or something worries you, ask the owner to wait a few days and order such a statement yourself. This can be done at any regional branch of the registration chamber or in a multifunctional center.
  2. Check the host's passport. Take a copy from your passport or take a photo with your phone. Moreover, pay attention to the fact that the information in the documents of title to the ownership of the apartment must match the passport data (full name, series, number).
  3. Ask the owner if he is in a registered marriage. If the rented apartment was purchased during the marriage - it is considered joint property and for renting it out, the owner must obtain the consent of the spouse (s). The consent must be notarized. The same applies if the apartment is in common joint ownership, for example, belongs to two brothers, or a mother and daughter. In any case, the consent of all homeowners is required. Consent can be expressed in a power of attorney or spelled out in the lease agreement itself, where the signatures of all apartment owners will be.
  4. Ask to show the house book or certificate of family composition. So you will find out who is registered in the apartment. Remember that persons registered in a dwelling have the right to freely enter and use the dwelling. If you do not want unexpected guests to break into you at night, agree in advance in the agreement that the persons registered in the apartment, during the validity of your lease agreement, will not live in this room. Also, take their written consent for your stay.
  5. Talk to your neighbors. After explaining to them that you are going to rent this apartment, ask them to tell who lived in the apartment, how often the tenants changed, whether they know the owners by sight. The more information you collect about housing, the better you will understand all the possible risks associated with renting.

For renting an apartment by the day:

  1. The safest way to rent is directly from the owner, so as not to run into scammers.
  2. Shoot with an agency or company that does it specifically. The organization must have an agreement with the owner of the apartment, which gives the right to rent it out or a power of attorney from the owner. But it so happens that the apartment is owned by the company itself and this is the best option.

Quick tips for new tenants:

  1. Always read the terms of the contract carefully, check the data of the contract with the submitted documents.
  2. Require a written receipt from the owner for any payment or a note about payment in the agreement.
  3. Before renting an apartment, study the existing advertisements on the Internet to display the average rental price for a property.
  4. Do not flatter yourself with regard to very low prices for rental housing most likely fraud is behind this.
  5. Remember your rights and responsibilities, because the owner expects counter decency from you.
  6. Protect and preserve property located in the apartment, if you spoil it, you will have to compensate for the damage.

How to draw up a lease agreement correctly?

  1. must be concluded only in writing and signed by both parties - the landlord and the tenant. Ideally, it is better to notarize the contract. But few of the owners will agree to spend money on notary services and payment of state fees.
  2. Specify the term of the contract, rental price, date and frequency of payments (once a month, quarterly). How the payment is made, for the current month or for a month in advance.
  3. Record the exact characteristics of the apartment: address, floor, area, who owns it, how many owners.
  4. In the text of the agreement, refer to the documents of title, confirming the ownership, reflect the passport details of all parties, their registration address.

Another obligatory document together with the contract is the acceptance certificate, which is signed at the time of handing over the keys and checking in. In the act, be sure to describe in detail the condition of the dwelling, the furniture, household appliances in it. If any of the above is inoperative or you have comments, indicate this in the act.

Also, on the day of the transfer of the apartment, in the presence of the owner, take the readings of the metering devices and record them in the act. Ask what tariffs are paid for utilities and discuss the terms of their payment. You can pay for them yourself or you can reimburse the landlord and include them in the rental price.

Often, when contacting the agency, realtors offer the client to conclude an agreement not for the search for a specific apartment, but for information services. Under the terms of such an agreement, the client is only given a list of potential apartments with the addresses and phone numbers of the owners.

As a rule, by calling the indicated numbers, the client learns that half of such apartments have already been rented out or are being rented out at a price significantly higher than that stated in the contract. Therefore, if you have contacted an agency, demand that the contract specify specifically what services the intermediary will provide you. He must find an apartment for you in a specific area.

Agencies that value their reputation will never demand to pay for services in advance. The moment of payment should be determined only after the apartment that you wanted was found for you and strictly after signing the lease agreement and handing over the keys.

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