Exclusive contracting, with the purpose to offer a property solely via dedicated Real Estate Agency, is not a usual practice in Slovakia.
Many agencies share up to 90% of the properties on their databases with other agencies. Based on our previous experience, we know that working with multiple agencies often results in visiting a particular property more than once, which means time and money wasted. In view of this fact, it is advisable to remain with a single quality agency, such as At Home, for the entire home search process.
Before choosing your neighbourhood, it is highly recommended that you consider your family's future requirements. Important factors such as office location, proximity to schools, local amenities, as well as unpredictable elements – such as weather – may determine your choice of location.
When visiting a property, we suggest that you stay neutral and avoid sharing personal information and opinions with the owner as this may reduce your chances of negotiation. It is generally recommended you leave this aspect of the transaction to your agent.
When searching for a property, you may already have a specific rental fee in mind, but please remember that in most cases there are additional fees such as the common costs (water, sewage, waste removal, property maintenance, cleaning of common premisses, etc.) and utility expenses (electricity, gas), as well as costs for Internet, telephone and TV that are paid directly to the providers. These are to be paid by the tenant if not otherwise agreed.
Utility expenses include water, electricity and gas consumption, and may significantly increase your real estate budget. Common costs usually include the costs of services related to the building such as cleaning, gardening, amenities provided, and up-keeping of the building. As such they can vary - depending on the apartment building/family house of choice.
If you intend to rent a property in Slovak Republic, but have never done so before, then the terms and procedures in use can be both unfamiliar and confusing. The rental market now makes intensive use of both the Internet and email as a marketing tool. The web is a good way to get started and to get a feel for prices, but the specialist advice and the local knowledge provided by a reputable Letting Agent makes the process smoother.
Do not hesitate to ask for advice on these issues from your At Home agent!
The asking rent in Bratislava is usually quoted per calendar month. The asking rent does not normally include utilities. When viewing a property, it is important to remember that some things may be negotiable, so if you like the property but want something changed, then make a note, as these changes could form part of the negotiations.
Do not hesitate to ask for advice on lease agreement negotiation from your At Home agent.
Once you have selected your property you will need to make an offer to the letting agent. Most property prices are negotiable to a degree. Longer-term rental lease agreements can result in lower rents. If you have a ′wish list′ of improvements at the property, you should make these a part of the offer.
Once you have found a property that you want to make an offer on, you will need to decide:
How much you are willing to pay and how often
The length of the contract you want and the planned move-in date
Type of the rental contract - corporate or private, i.e. who the Tenant will be
What options you might want to either extend or break the contract earlier than planned
If you have a list of changes to be made to the property
If your company will be listed as the tenant with you as the occupant, you should check your company policy on legal review of the draft lease agreement. They may request that you use a particular firm of solicitors or in-house relocation/mobility team.
The draft of the lease agreement is normally issued by the Landlord's Agent. Different types of lease agreement are used depending on whether it will be a company let or a private tenancy. Your At Home agent will support negotiation and the lease agreement amendments.
In addition they support to review the lease agreement to make sure that the terms reflect what you have agreed. It is advisable to have your lease agreement checked by a solicitor or someone who has an understanding of the legal terminology and eventually signed at the public notary.
In Bratislava most landlords request a security deposit equivalent to one or two months rent. Equivalent to two months rent deposit is usually required in case of pets. In this case Landlords may ask also deposit in the amount of three months' rent. The security deposit, all initial payments, and Real Estate Agency fee payment is required in cleared funds prior to the commencement of the Tenancy.
The final formality is the check-in. This is held at the property, and a formal document called the Inventory and Property Handover Protocol is agreed and signed by both parties.
Should you already know the price you wish to pay, keep in mind that in most cases there are additional expenses related to property rental.
These are to be paid by the tenant - if not agreed on otherwise.
Additional fees are usually the common costs (water, sewage, waste removal, property maintenance, cleaning of common premisses, etc.) and utility expenses (electricity, gas), as well as costs for Internet, telephone and TV that are paid directly to the providers.
Utility expenses include water, electricity and gas consumption, and may significantly increase your real estate budget. Common costs usually include the costs of services related to the building such as cleaning, gardening, swimming pool maintenance, amenities provided, and up-keeping of the building. As such they can vary - depending on the apartment building/family house of choice.