Are you looking for a place to live in for a while? Here we provide you with the easiest way to search for a flat for rent.a way to do it safely by protecting yourself from fraud.

 

Where can I look for a flat to rent?

Finding an apartment for rent in Hungary is not an easy task, yet with some resilience and luck, you may find the place for you. This can be done on free websites specialized in this service.  

These websites are most popular for this purpose: Albérlet.hu , Ingatlan.com

Here, you will find real estate agencies promoting apartments as well as private persons. Generally speaking, both real estate agencies and private persons can be reliable in these sites. Yet, you must know that in Hungary, real estate agencies normally charge the owner, not the apartment seeker in the process of renting. So, if an agency wants to charge you for giving you optional addresses (which might happen), you should be extra careful, as this might be a fraud. In general, seeing an apartment is free of charge for a person who is looking for a place to rent.

There are various Facebook groups for renting apartments as well, yet in every case you must make sure you won’t be a victim of a fraud. 

 

The general conditions of renting in Hungary:

Here are things that typically have to be paid in advance: 

• two months' deposit upon signing the contract (you will get this money back when you leave the flat, but only in case there was no damage during the sublease. The regulation concerning the deposit must be part of the contract)
• one month's rent 
• the first month's common costs (common cost in Hungary usually contains the house maintenance cost, the waste collection and sometimes partial water consumption as well)

Thus, for example, if the rent price is HUF 130,000, the cost is HUF 390,000 for three months, to which one monthly common cost is added (HUF 14,000). This means that the deposit for a low-cost sublet is approximately HUF 404,000 (37800 UAH).

Required documents are: 

• personal documents (e.g. identity card, passport, address card, residence permit, tax card, possibly birth certificate) 
• landlords can also request an employer's certificate 

 

What should a rental contract consist of?

If you want to protect your rights, it is absolutely necessary to make a rental contract. In case you do not speak Hungarian, you may ask for a bilingual version of the contract (English, Ukrainian, Russian next to the Hungarian) or you may consult a lawyer. You can ask for the help of a Ukrainian volunteer interpreter here. 

A contract should consist of the following:

•  the names and ID/passport number of all people signing the contract as well as the address of the property;
• The contract must have your name included. If you decide to share a flat with a friend, you must definitely make sure that all of your names are included in the contract (not only his/hers or yours).
• the price of the rent, when it should be paid and the payment methods – bank transfer or cash;
• the security deposit – how and when it will be paid and under what conditions it will be returned to you (already mentioned);
• the start and the end date of the contract
• how, when and under what conditions each party is allowed to terminate the contract - here, be careful! In certain cases, you may easily leave the apartment in a month after informing the owner about your intention. However, if stated differently, you might lose your deposit. Certain contracts do not allow you to  leave the apartment earlier than 6 months unless you lose the deposit. 
• whether or not you are allowed to sublet the apartment to other people
• who will cover small and major repairs
• other points (may include that the owner may enter the apartment only after making an appointment).

Usually, a rental contract is signed for at least a year. 

 

An extra: voluntary departure declaration

In some cases, the owner may insist not only on a contract, but also on a voluntary departure declaration from your side certified by a notary. According to this declaration, once the owner or you terminate the contract, you agree to move out within the time specified in the contract. This is necessary because, according to Hungarian law, even in the case of a cancellation of the contract, the tenant can only be evicted by a court order. Thus, the owner is protected if the tenant signs this declaration of intent. The costs of this declaration are paid by the owner and the tenant according to an individual agreement, the terms of which are fixed in the contract.

 

Property inventory

In addition to the rental contract, preparing and signing a property inventory in two identical copies can be useful and a way of protection for both parties. This is a list of the furniture, machines and other items that the landlord left in the apartment. Do check it, if possible, together with the landlord, and list the existing damages or scratches. Once you leave, you will check this list again, and if you haven’t done any damages, you can prove that you are entitled to get back the deposit you paid in advance. 

 

If I have rented a flat, where can I register my address?

If you change your address, you are obliged to register the new one in three days.

• those with a settlement status or a Hungarian citizenship must apply at the government office
• those with a residence permit or asylum-status can register at the Immigration Office (regulation has changed from 1/1/23).

To have a registered address, you need to

• submit an address registration document signed by the owner at the government office in case you are a Hungarian citizen or have a settlement status (The document must be signed by every owner, if there are more than one!)
• submit a declaration of acceptance signed by the owner at the Immigration Office in case you are not a Hungarian citizen and do not have a settlement status (e. g. having a residence permit)
• register the address without a specific form at the local office of Immigration Policing- in case you have asylum status.

 

How can I avoid being tricked or ending up in a non-reliable apartment?

• It is more secure to have a legally approved contract even if it contains more deposits. Make sure that you read through the contract, and ask every question you may have. 
• Be careful with real estate agencies who wants you to pay for finding a place to rent
• Should you pay by cash, have a written receipt from the owner stating that he/she accepted your monthly rent.

(Image: Patrick Perkins/Unsplash, ReadyElements/Pixabay)

 

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Our articles are validated, but the information provided does not cover every specific case.