How to Rent an Apartment without Intermediaries + 10 Expert Tips

Look for an apartment closer to home and work

Apartment parameters. Think about what the size of the apartment should be. It is logical that the larger the area, the higher the cost of rent. Most often, a one-room apartment for one person is more than enough.
Repair. You need to know what the apartment should be equipped with, what condition the taps and toilets should be in. After all, it’s nice to live in a neat apartment with normal renovations, which were last carried out not 20 years ago.
Furniture and household appliances. Most often, rented apartments are suitable for living. But sometimes it’s better to talk to the apartment owners in advance and find out about the availability of a particular device.

Let's summarize: when choosing a rented apartment, the most important thing is comfort, safety, and adequate terms of the contract.

Remember that the phrase “apartment in good condition” may hide various troubles. For some, good condition means windows without cracks, a working shower, but holes in the ceiling, and a faulty plumbing system is not taken into account. That is, make sure of the condition of the housing in person.

How to find an apartment without intermediaries - 3 reliable ways

For those brave souls who decide to look for housing on their own, here are 3 reliable methods:

Through the Internet.
With the help of newspapers and magazines.
Through advertisements.

These methods are available to everyone, because even grandmothers have smartphones. Let's consider each method separately. After all, they hide their pros and cons.

Advertisements on the Internet

At the moment, almost every person has the opportunity to access the Internet. There are many free platforms on the global network where advertisements for renting, renting, buying and selling housing are published. At the same time, there are divisions into parameters, type and cost of housing.

The first step is to find the owners and eliminate intermediaries. Some resources (the majority of them), for example, the Avito bulletin board, contain information about who rents out an apartment. But even this “tick” is not a 100% guarantee that you will run into the owner. So be careful.

Sometimes intermediaries write in advertisements that they are the owners. Therefore, ask clarifying questions over the phone in order to accurately deal with the owner.

There are other points by which the intermediary can be identified:

Intermediaries do not put forward any requirements for tenants: nationality, presence of children and pets, number of people who will live in the apartment. For them, the main task is to sell the apartment faster and get their percentage. But owners don’t like to rent out housing to just anyone.
Intermediaries do not pay attention to rental terms. The owners are interested in long-term rentals.
Agents have little knowledge of the apartment itself. The owners know everything about their apartment and can answer all your questions quickly.
The owners do not try to find out your information the first time you call. Intermediaries will first begin to find out personal information in order to expand their client base.

Social networks also help users rent an apartment. There are many public pages and groups in cities where owners post their advertisements. But even here you should remain vigilant. Remember that there can be no talk of any prepayment before inspecting the property and concluding a contract.

Search for housing in VK:

An example of searching for landlords in VK

Example ad

Newspapers and magazines

Newspapers and magazines have entire columns dedicated to renting housing. Most often, elderly owners resort to this method.

All you have to do is select the most attractive advertisements and contact the owner.

If you have time and you like a particular offer, just wait. It happens that after a week the owners reduce the rental price.

The disadvantage of this method is obvious: the search will take some time, since you need to spend it looking at apartments.

Do not rush, because it is important for you to choose the most advantageous offer. Check out all the ads, then you will be sure that you have found the best.

If you are looking for housing in a specific place (area), you can head there and find advertisements on entrances or stands.

You will spend a lot of time on this, but you will be able to find really inexpensive housing in the location you need. Often such advertisements are posted by elderly people.

If you find such an advertisement, do not rush to stop searching. Now you need to make sure the content of the ad and the adequacy of the owners.

Specify precise search terms

It’s worth understanding what kind of apartment you need even before you start searching. Moreover, the housing parameters need to be determined thoroughly: not only the suitable area, the level of comfort (renovation, type of house, balcony glazing, etc.), the number of residents, but also the presence of cabinets, small household appliances (kettle, microwave), a ramp at the entrance, public transport stops near your home, etc.. This approach, firstly, will help narrow the search and not look through hundreds of advertisements a day, and secondly, it will allow you to decide for yourself which “little things” are really important and which you can easily refuse. For example, it may turn out that having a balcony is not as important to you as windows facing a shady park.

Instructions for renting housing

Let's look at the step-by-step instructions you can't do without when renting a home:

Find the best option for you. At the same time, rely on the area in which it will be more convenient for you to live and on what your apartment should be like. This will allow you to save time on searching.
Get in touch with the landlord. During the conversation, find out all the nuances that interest you. Check the condition of the apartment, the availability of furniture, the Internet, for what period the housing is rented, who pays for utilities. Also try to find out from the contact person whether he has documents confirming ownership rights.
Make an appointment. Inspecting the apartment is the key to your peace of mind in the future. Ask any questions you have. Check appliances for serviceability (refrigerator, stove, TV, etc.). If something doesn't work, notify the owner. It is advisable to include all faulty devices in the contract.
Sign a rental agreement. In this case, you need to record the counter readings.

4 simple steps that anyone can follow. A little attention and you will get what you want.

Popular fraudulent schemes and scams

Renting an apartment without a realtor is not difficult if you are attentive, common sense and familiarize yourself with the main fraudulent schemes used in the field of real estate rental:

Gradual increase in price. According to experts, it is almost impossible to find the real owner of the property from an advertisement. Typically, owners delegate their powers to realtors or other intermediaries. Their favorite scheme is price gouging. In response to a call about the ad, they answer that the living space is almost completed and the potential tenant is already bringing a deposit. But you can still view the property, although the rental price increases slightly.
The property is not true to reality. Upon meeting, the potential tenant examines the beautiful premises with luxurious furniture and modern appliances. And after payment he receives the keys to an empty apartment, where behind the beautiful facade there were torn wallpaper and chipped tiles in the bathroom.
False owner. In some cases, citizens who want to rent housing without intermediaries on more favorable terms are faced with outright fraud. The scheme is simple: the swindler, posing as the owner of the apartment, rents it out, takes the money and disappears. And when new residents move in, they find out that the owner of the living space is a completely different person.
Tricks with utility bills. The joy of moving into a new home can be overshadowed by thousands of bills for the first month of residence. The owner of the apartment can blame the tenant for his past debts for utility services or previous tenants. Most often, such unscrupulous landlords take the deposit to pay off the debt and offer to move out of the apartment as soon as possible.
Multiple rentals. Another common fraud scheme is the rental of residential real estate to several tenants at once. The owner just needs to make several sets of keys and collect money from everyone. In the best case, the person who arrives at the new address the fastest will be able to move into the apartment, and in the worst case, all applicants will receive a free set of keys that do not open anything.
Creation of unbearable conditions. After renting out the property and taking money from the residents for accommodation, some owners begin to pester the residents. This may include multiple or late visits, suppression of any attempts to rearrange furniture or household items in their own way, or other inappropriate demands. The main goal of such owners is to bring the tenant to an explosion and a decision to move out of the living space. Nobody is going to return the deposit or money paid in advance for accommodation.

Healthy! If the tenant falls into the clutches of scammers, you must immediately contact the nearest branch of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation. It is much easier to catch scammers in hot pursuit when they are in close proximity to the scene of the incident.

Rent contract

As surprising as this may seem, many people do not know what should be included in the lease agreement. At the same time, your well-being and peace of mind depend on it. Therefore, we will devote a section to this topic.

Many people sign the lease document without reading it. This is absolutely impossible to do. The agreement must be read from beginning to end. If possible, show the contract to a lawyer.

Not all renters have the extra money to go to a lawyer, so let’s look at the main points that you definitely need to pay attention to:

Payment, prepayment, deposit: amount of payment, what date payment is made, in what way.
Actions in case of late payment of rent (it is important that you are only responsible if the late payment is your fault).
Responsibility of the tenant and the lessor. It makes sense to know who is responsible for what.
Accommodations.
Payment of utility services.
Actions in case of early termination of the contract.

It is important to pay attention to the increase in rental costs. Stipulate in advance that the landlord can increase the rent once per year by 10% (this is for those who rent for a long time).

Even if you rent an apartment for a couple of days, still sign an agreement. This is necessary in order not to overpay and not get into trouble.

Information that must be reflected in the lease agreement:

Ownership agreement.
Extract from their Unified State Register for housing. This document is the only proof of ownership.
Passport of the owner or owners of the apartment.
An extract from the passport office with information about persons who are also registered in the house.

You also need to indicate the condition of the house:

Doors.
Window.
Kitchen.
Furniture.
Technique.
Lighting.
Walls, floors.

When leaving, these points are taken into account; you will not be asked to pay extra.

Make this item a priority. A contract is a document that should be used as protection if something happens. Including cases when the owner crosses boundaries (comes to your place at any time, cleans the refrigerator, makes noise, and so on).

Basic fraud schemes when renting an apartment privately

Schemes of deception in direct contact with the owner are somewhat different than those of real estate agencies. There are no less options for being deceived here. The most common problems:

Rent without the consent of one of the owners. All co-owners and representatives of minor homeowners must give written consent, otherwise the transaction may be declared invalid.
An oral agreement without a contract. The deal is not recognized by law in words. If the owner of the apartment simply changes the locks in a month or less, the tenant will in no way be able to prove that he paid the rent.
Payment of rent for a long period and prepayment. A common form of deception is offering rent at a reduced price, but with prepayment for a long period. Prepayment is considered a legal practice, it is paid as a deposit or advance payment, a guarantee that the buyer will not change his mind. However, scammers use it to deceive. They ask you to transfer money to the owner’s or realtor’s card, and then they disconnect your phone number. The deposit must be paid only when a formal contract is signed in writing.

Renting luxury housing

Luxury housing

If you are interested not just in housing and rentals, but in luxury housing, you will need to know additional recommendations. After all, luxury housing must correspond to its status. Let's find out what explains the status.

When renting luxury housing, you need to pay attention to the following:

Location. Luxury properties are most often located in historically significant areas (a fact that contributes to the value).
Street. Attention should be paid not only to infrastructure, but to prestige and quality of service.
House. Remember that buildings erected 7-10 years ago are considered elite. These are new buildings, club houses. It is important that the complex has no more than 30 apartments, otherwise it is not luxury housing.
Neighbours. If celebrities live next door to you, the cost of housing will increase.

Finding luxury housing is not easy. If you are in a hurry and do not want to waste time (and at the same time have money), it is better for you to contact realtors. Since there are few advertisements on this topic on the Internet, and you do not want to go to a realtor, the best way to search is word of mouth.

A deposit is one of the nuances when renting a home. Since it is charged three to four months in advance.

It is also important to comply with the terms of the contract, since the fines in case of anything are quite high

A rental agreement for luxury housing can be drawn up in a standard manner. But most often, owners draw up individual contracts based on their requirements and wishes.

You should not enter into an agreement without the help of a lawyer. Since the clauses of the contract must not violate the legislation of the Russian Federation (otherwise they have no legal force).

Decor

When renting an apartment, it is important to draw up documents correctly. They will become the protection for the employer in case of conflict situations. How to properly complete a transaction and what papers should be prepared?

Agreement

This document specifies all the conditions for living and providing housing for rent: the rights and obligations of the parties to the transaction, the payment schedule, the amount of the monthly payment, liability for damage to property, conditions for terminating the contract, etc.

A standard rental agreement can be found on the Internet, adding other clauses and conditions at your discretion. When drawing up a document, it is important to take into account all the nuances and little things: from responsibility for paying for housing and communal services to the frequency of the owner’s visit to the apartment.

REFERENCE! The rental agreement is usually concluded for a period of 11 months with subsequent extension. When concluding an agreement for a period of more than 1 year, the transaction is subject to registration in Rosreestr.

Inventory of property

In order for the owner to keep the items in the apartment in order, and for the tenant to protect himself from unfounded claims by the owner regarding the use of things, an inventory of the property is drawn up when renting out the apartment (sample).

It lists furniture, equipment and other valuables with a description of their condition and characteristics. The document is drawn up in the presence of the employer so that he can verify that the information in it is valid.

Transfer and Acceptance Certificate

This is an annex to the rental agreement, which confirms the fact of transfer of housing from the owner to the tenant for temporary use. The document (act of acceptance and transfer of an apartment for rent) contains a list and a brief description of the property, data of the parties to the transaction, the date of transfer and the responsibility of the tenant in case of damage to the property located in the apartment.

Receipt for receipt of money

It is recommended that the fact of transfer of rent to the owner of the property be recorded on paper. To do this, you need to draw up a receipt for receiving money for the apartment (sample). As a rule, it is written when transferring a deposit for housing.

However, for complete security, it should be drawn up before each payment for accommodation. The document confirms that the indicated amount was transferred to the owner and that he received it.

Relationships with owners

Have you already decided where and from whom to rent an apartment? It is perfectly! Just remember to be friendly with the owner while maintaining your distance.

Always remain calm. Even if the owner unexpectedly increases the rent in the future, you should not react violently. After all, a constructive dialogue will allow you to resolve any issues in your favor.

But at the same time, do not show excessive friendliness towards the owner. You should not give gifts or invite people to tea parties often. Just show yourself as a responsible landlord.

And let’s pay a little attention to your attitude towards the apartment. Not everyone feels at home in a rented apartment. But in vain. After all, you are paying a lot of money. If something happens, don’t be afraid to call a plumber again or nail down a shelf.

Study advertisements carefully

Keep in mind that it will take you a long time before you learn to distinguish between enticing ads and real ones. In two out of three cases, the information on the sites may no longer be relevant. This is due to the fact that owners or unprofessional realtors do not remove advertisements on time. But you won’t be able to distinguish an agent from the real owner without calling: realtors often post advertisements on behalf of the owner. And be sure to use the notification function about new offers for your search query. This will allow you to be one of the first to contact the owner.

Mortgage beware!

If you decide to rent an apartment, then you need to arm yourself with knowledge to the teeth. For example, if you rent an apartment that was purchased with a mortgage, and the owner is dishonest towards the bank, then you will start looking for an apartment again. That is, the owner faces forced eviction, and you will suffer from this.

To avoid problems, it is enough to stipulate this point in the contract. In this case, the owner must be subject to penalties, the amount of which will be specified in the contract.

Risks

Of course, there are certain risks when looking for housing on your own:

incorrect preparation of papers . The contract must be drawn up with all the key points included in the text, otherwise quiet living is at risk;
scammers . There is a great risk of “running into” scammers who rent out the same other people’s apartments to several clients and then disappear;
increase in accommodation fees . Again, if the contract is drawn up incorrectly, there may be a disproportionate increase in the cost of rent after a couple of months of residence;
prepayment . It is important to draw up a receipt for the transfer of money. If the landlord asks for an advance payment many months in advance, this is a reason to think about the honesty of his intentions;
unjustifiably private visits by the owner . Rarely is this point spelled out in the agreement, considering it unimportant. This results in a misunderstanding between the parties regarding the frequency of the landlord’s visits.

Any risks can be minimized by correctly concluding documents and considering possible scenarios.

In addition, the behavior of the owner . However, even reputable agencies do not guarantee an absolute absence of risk.

6) Behave in a friendly manner

If you are used to being rude to cashiers in supermarkets, arguing with waiters and swearing at cleaners, before meeting with a real estate agent, remind yourself that excessive expression can cost you many years of a happy life - at least in a particular apartment. It would seem that there is no need for basic politeness now, why mention it separately, but for some reason many people forget about it when they find out how much money agents charge for their work. Remember: indignation and swearing will not help you, but will only hinder you. At the same time, no one wants to leave a client who is a pleasure to work with to the mercy of fate. And it is advisable to make a good first impression on the owner of the apartment - it is not at all necessary, say, from the threshold to declare what terrible wallpaper he chose for the kitchen. On the other hand, don’t ask to be friends with either the agent or the owner - let your relationship be purely business.

7) Carefully inspect the apartment

At this stage, you should already understand that you should not transfer money for an apartment only after seeing its photographs - no, you need to see it for real. Moreover, make the most of your visit! The worst thing you can do is fall for the view from the window, stand in the middle of the living room and joyfully say “I’ll take it!” Throw away embarrassment and laziness and examine every centimeter of your future home under a microscope. Is the bathtub leaking, are the sockets broken, is the wallpaper peeling off? Is the refrigerator working? How's the hood? Can you hear the neighbors living three floors above in the bedroom? If there are shortcomings in the apartment, but you are ready to put up with them, be sure to document them with the landlord - so that later you don’t have to prove that this scratch was on the refrigerator long before you. And don’t immediately discard the option of an unfurnished apartment! Firstly, you have less to check. And, secondly, you will be able to arrange your home in your own way - you won’t have to sleep on a creaky sofa.

2) Get to know the area of the desired apartment better

Renting an apartment is a process during which you need to doubt everything. As they say, it’s better to be overcautious than underdressed. Therefore, after checking the apartment based on the photo and description (don’t be afraid to ask the owners clarifying questions - for example, what is meant by “recently” in the phrase “the apartment was recently renovated”)

, don’t forget to check her surroundings as well. Alas, you won’t get to know your neighbors in one visit, but you can find out how things are going with the infrastructure in the area. And if you suddenly find out that “15 minutes to the metro” means running, “there are shops nearby” means closed ones, and “social institutions in the neighborhood” means a prison and a mental hospital, then look for a better option. Well, or agree to this one if nothing bothers you about it - the main thing is that there are no unpleasant surprises.

4) Recognize that it is better to choose an agency rather than an owner

Although everyone dreams of renting an apartment directly from the owner so as not to overpay, after stories about scammers, the agency’s rate does not seem so cruel. Yes, it will be more expensive, but it will be more reliable and faster. The agency will not deceive you (well, of course, unless you choose a bad agency - but we will teach you that too)

and will provide a whole database of proven proposals - if you don’t like one, they’ll select another. And, oddly enough, it can be easier to bargain with an agency representative than with the owner - he holds on too tightly to his favorite apartment, while a specialist evaluates it objectively.