My Hard Earned Lessons in Renting Homes

Here are some notes I’ve accumulated in the ten years I’ve rented homes here in the Philippines.

I’ve been a renter since I moved out of my parent’s house. We couldn’t stay long in one place, as my family’s needs kept catching up with the space we needed. In 10 years, we’ve stayed in 3 different places and recently moved into our fourth. We’ve lived across different cities, from Makati to Mandaluyong and now in Pasig.

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Benefits of Renting

Renting is inevitable if you don’t have any properties you can live in. The good thing about renting is that you don’t own the place you live in. Maintenance, taxes, and other property-related expenses are not your responsibility. I would recommend you rent first so that you can learn the pitfalls of owning a property yourself.

My Experience in Renting

I first started by renting a tiny studio-sized unit from a high-rise entry-level condo. It was around 20 square meters. I lived in it with my then-girlfriend, now wife. The unit is perfect for single people, but eventually, it started to feel cramped when two people shared it. We rented it for a year.

Our next step was to rent a 2-bedroom unit in a DMCI condo. The rent was higher, but DMCI condos are generally well-maintained and have a good community setup. We had regular activities and weekend masses in the condo’s common area. We stayed here for 2 years until our first child learned to walk.

The next one was in a condo unit in a village in Pasig. The space was bigger, and we thought the space and the environment would benefit our child. What I liked about the village was its entrepreneurial spirit, as almost everything you needed could be found or bought inside. Also, there were play areas and parks where you could walk to and from. We stayed in this unit for three years until our second child grew.

We’ve recently moved to a bigger house for rent within the same village. We’re planning to rent for a few years, and hopefully, we’ll be able to save up to buy our own house.

What to Look for in Renting

In addition to the obvious details like the monthly rent and space, you should also try to gauge the owner’s character. It is a red flag if an owner seems too eager to please or is hard to contact. A good working relationship with the owner is vital as you live in his space. It should be required that you have a group chat with the owner on Viber or Messenger.

We were locked out of our rented condo unit once because the key got stuck in the lock, and having the owner authorize a locksmith from the Property Office to open it at 9 pm was no small feat.

Essentials to Consider Before Signing the Contract

Find out if there are issues with home basics: house integrity, power, and water. Here are some questions to help you find out:

Does the house have leaks or cracks?
Is the house experiencing flooding, especially during long periods of rain?
Does the house have a pest problem? Or a neighbor problem?
How is the water pressure? What is the the water provider?
How is garbage disposed of? Is there a schedule?
Where are the meters located? Are they labeled properly?
Is there a ventilation problem? Is it unnaturally hot and humid?
How and where is the Property Office (in the case of condos)?

Many of these questions are not answerable or apparent unless you visit the property multiple times. Sadly, some can only be answered when you’ve already moved in.

In our case, we’ve had issues with leaks before and it was an expensive lesson as all of my personal clothes got drenched (and muddied) due to a leak on an upstairs drain. Some of my clothes weren’t salvageable anymore.

As for the water provider, I recently learned that our house wasn’t under Manila Water directly, but going through the village supply. This made the rate higher than what is expected.

Pests we’ve also had trouble before especially in high rise condos. If your neighbors aren’t clean with their surroundings, pests will only multiply and affect your unit. Pest control is expensive, and oftentimes not that effective as they typically affect the whole level. It’s tiring to keep on cleaning tools and utensils before using them, and you would need to always be vigilant in protecting your food.

Some Other Questions and Tips Before Renting

During viewing, always bring a measuring tape and notes. I also take a video walkthrough of the property to help me review it later.
Check all doorknobs to see if they close and lock properly or need replacing.
Check all faucets, toilets, and showers if they leak. Check drains if they’re clogged.
Check if the kitchen is well-ventilated and up to the task of your cooking needs.
Check all lights to see if they are working. Are the bulbs busted, or are the sockets themselves broken?
Always confirm with the owner regarding home improvements you are planning.
How hard is it to move in? And also to move out eventually?
How is the community? Do you need to pay association dues? How are disputes resolved? Is the community secure?
If the house is furnished, how is the arrangement when it comes to repair or to replace?
Try to visit multiple times at different times to check the condition of the house. I try to see how it holds up during rain and close to nighttime.
Check the aircon provisions. If you bring in your old window-type AC, will it fit the available hole? If it is split type, how hard is it to find the power, drain and piping for it?
Check the power socket availability. You may need a lot of extension cords, or maybe even an electrician to create connections if there are none.
You should allot at least 5x the monthly rent—3x for the deposit and advance and the rest for the moving and improvement costs.
Check if the distribution box is labelled. You may need to switch one or more of the breakers off during your stay.
If you have a car, is the parking space adequate and secure? If the parking area is open and under trees, you will need to consider planning for regular carwashes.
Check the contract. When is the advance being consumed? Will you be getting a refund on your deposit? How would you negotiate deductibles?
Typically when a property is vacant for a long period of time, pests like rats and mosquitoes move in, so you would need to plan on how to control them.
You will need to find workers to help you drill, mount, and set up your furnitures and appliances (like A/Cs, TVs, etc) once you move in.

Wrapping Up

Renting properly is a skill borne by experience. Hopefully all of the questions above have helped you in some way in determining if the place you are planning to rent is a good one. It’s also a good list to consider once you are planning to build your own home.