Introduction
Renting a house or apartment in South Africa is straight forward as long as you have the correct paperwork. To start the process you will need to have a firm idea of what you want. Typical questions that an agent will ask you will include:
- Area you want to live in
- Size and type of accommodation
- Budget
- Duration of rental agreement
If you are considering buying a property the process may prove a little more difficult especially under the new laws that Estate Agents need to verify where the funds are coming from before being able to complete the transaction.
Choosing the type of Accommodation
The terminology used in the South Africa is easy to understand and here is a list of common types of accommodation available on the market:
- Batchelor Flat This is a typical one bedroom flat with lounge/dinning room, kitchen and bathroom.
- Flat These are usually bigger than bachelor flats and come in one/two or three bedroom varieties.
- Town houseThis is usually in a complex of between 20 and 30 homes. The town house may be a semi (one floor) or a duplex (two floors). Be aware of the levy that you will have to pay for the upkeep of the the complex as it can be high
- Cluster houseThis is a house that is usually in a complex. The houses share the facilities of the complex like pools, club houses etc. Each cluster will usually come with a garden that you will have to maintain which is different to a townhouse where the garden is usually maintained by the complex as a whole.
- CottageThis is found inside a larger property and is usually a second, smaller house away from the main house.
- HouseAs it says this is your common variety of house. As space is not a premium commodity in South Africa the majority of houses are single stories.
A brief guide to renting
This will be one of your biggest outlays of cash when moving to a new country.
It is important to remember that you need to pay at least 6 weeks deposit in advance plus the months rent. Some places are known to ask for 6 months deposit (tell them to go jump!).
The process that the Estate Agents will follow is once they have shown you the accommodation and you have chosen one they will ask you for a non-refundable holding deposit. They will then contact the owner and agree the price with them.
Once that is done it is time for a reference or credit check. This check entails calling references back home (friends, estate agents banks), calling your bank here and lastly verifying that you work where you say you do.
Then there is the tenancy agreement which you pay for. Usually over a years rental agreement they will put in a six month break clause which means after 4 months either party can give two months notice. A simple spreadsheet of what you may have to pay when renting a house of R5,000 a month is as follows:
- Deposit (6 weeks): R7,500
- 1st Month Rent: R5,000
- Registration Fees: R500
- Reference Check: R500
Total Cost: R13,500Issues to be aware of when renting
If you move into a house or cluster you will have to pay a deposit for electricity and water. This deposit is usually around R1,000. You may also have to pay a deposit for the telephone as well.
If you choose a house or a cluster you will have to maintain the garden. The cost of keeping a garden can be expensive if it has a pool. The one
thing you can do if you don't like gardening is to hire a gardener which costs between R150-R200 a day depending on where you live. You will also
have to provide them with breakfast and lunch.
A live in maid/ servant may also be offered as an option. If this is the case the usual cost will be from R2,500 a month upwards. You will normally have to enter into a contract with them so ask the Estate Agent to help you through this process.
