Renting a condo

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Hi folks

I'm seeking some advice on renting a condo.

Im a visitor from the UK, retired, staying with friends while I get a feel for the country before deciding what to do next. However, I'd like to rent my own condo for a year.

Could I come across any reluctance on the part of agents/landlords or other difficulties because of the fact I'm only here as a visitor and renewing my visa every 3 months? (i.e. no work permit, no MM2H etc).

Wondered if anyone has been in a similar situation and has some advice or comments.

Thanks

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Hi Thermos,

You wont find any difficulty. Many people are doing the same in our complex. Your landlord will not ask to see your visa, probably not even your passport.

If you are going to rent for a year they will be very pleased. With the lack of renters we are seeing they will probably buy you a hi fi as well. Get some feedback from posters on this forum, you may find others renting in the same block.

Be prepared to pay 3 months up front though.

Hope that helps,

Bob

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While on the subject of condo renting, I was reading on a Penang estate agents site that the Tenant pays the letting agents fees (usually 1.25 months rental). Is this the usual practice?
Cheers
Donohue

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My experience of renting 4 condos in Penang.  Phone agents, tell them what you want.  They will pick you up at your hotel with their car and show the flats.  If you don't like they will bring you back to hotel, no obligation.  If you like a flat you can make an offer through the agent.  The usual contract is 1 year.  The owner and you each pay the agent half month's rental.  You pay contract tax, the owner 1 month deposit, first month rent, RM500 utilities deposit .  All the money is paid to the agent who will issue you a receipt.  The agent will refund when you vacate the flat.  The owner usually allows you to move in 7 days earlier than the rental starting date.  Happy hunting.

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Hi Thermos

Which part of Malaysia are you thinking of renting?

The reason I ask is that the KL rental market is going to be different from Penang. For example, Condos near to public transport (LRT etc) in KL usually go pretty quickly due to relocation budgets being reduced and people opting to rent condos rather than landed property which is usually more expensive.

If you do a bit of bargaining like we did you can get a 6 month rental, however you may have to pay the six months in advance.

Hi Donohue, in our own experience the landlord paid the agents the full letting fees, we only paid for the rental and utilities.

Paul

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Hi Thermos,

You can rent from a week upwards in a very nice condo not far from Sentral Station (Sri Tiara).
I have enquired re details - deposit etc. but the relevant person is not in at present.

Check it out HERE

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Thanks for everyones comments and advice. Very helpfull.

I'll be looking for a condo in KL, where I am now. Done a fair bit of research on line and driven to some areas so I've got an idea where I would like (as far as price is concerned!)

I have an Izzi internet connection at the moment. Not recommended! So slow at the best of times.

Anyone recommend better? Is it best to have a TM line in the condo and broadband through that?

Has anyone had bad experiences getting a refund of the deposit back from TM at the end of the contract?

Cheers

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Hi Thermos

I have a condo for rent in Upper East near US Embassy.
If you are interested, please PM me. I think Scot does not allow any solicitations on this forum.
You do not have to pay any agent fees.

Gin

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hi,

That's right Gin. 

Otherwise the forum becomes a market place 

Thermos doesn't have enough posts yet to PM, so Thermos would have to email you if interested.

Hi, Thermos,

Have a look at the local papers, The Star, The Sun, and the Straits Times, they have classified sections with plenty of estate agents advertising places to rent. You'll get a good idea of the range of prices and what's on offer in each locality. Then select a couple of agents (anyone will do) and arrange for them to show you around places. Make it clear that such "showing around" is FOC.

Like rmyu posted (reply #3) contracts are usually for 1 year, however I initially rented for 3 months. The initial rent was higher than the subsequent 9 months. And make an offer.

regards, Scott

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Thanks Scott, I'll check the papers. Iproperty.com also looks interesting.

Upper East.... near Ampang? Might be a wee bit over my budget. Probably will start looking around vicinity of Mid Valley first as I got to know this area already.

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Hi all, this is my first post.  I am going through the MM2H bureaucratic nightmare at this time on a "trial run".  i.e. I am trying to see if I meet all the requirements before actually making the application.  I would live in Penang.  Perhaps apply early 2010.

Having jumped through a gazillion hoops successfully, I now find myself in a position of sussing out the accommodation, and I have discovered a rather disturbing situation.

As a single man [retired], I only want to rent a small apartment, consisting of, say, 1 room, 1 bedroom and 1 bathroom, just as I have here in Bangkok.  The vast majority of apartments I see for rental at the estate agents online are 3 bed/2 bath, which is vastly too big for me and thus a waste of money.  Perhaps I would have to move up to 2 bed/1 bath, but even that is unnecessarily large, and I don't see any of those advertised either!

I don't want lots of square metres!  Just a small place with normal facilities in the apartment e.g. internet, basic furnishings, and with a swimming pool in the condo grounds.  The only other requirement is that it should be within walking distance of bus route and bus stop, as I don't want a car, and seek to avoid taxis.  I don't even mind where the apartment/condo is located in the geographical sense, [such as near the airport, or the bridge or Batu F], as I would travel everywhere by bus, e.g. to Tesco, and Georgetown for banks, officialdom and perhaps a department store.

Surely I cannot be the only one in this position?  Has anyone else found this, and is there an answer?  I am really hoping that this accommodation issue does not put me off applying to the scheme.  Looking forward to any advice .........

Feebee

 

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 Hi
try this site.
http://www.penang-property.com/apartment_rent.htm

I must admit most are 3 bedroom but it will give you a fair idea of the cross section.
Times square has some smaller apartments as does the new Waterfront development by E&O (very pricey though for the latter.)

Good luck

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Try around some of the universities as there is often smaller accommodation

(just a idea no idea if it holds true in Penang)

Cheers

JJ

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I think when you look at the 2 and 3 bedroom condos, you will find as I did that they are extremely small rooms. I retired and moved  from a small single family house in the US, where I lived alone to a 3 bedroom condo which I share. For 2 people it still is a little small. I would advise you to look and compare the 1,2 and 3 bedroom units.

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Thanks respondents. The university tip sounds interesting.  Readers might be interested that I have discovered that if you search on "flat" instead of "apartment", smaller properties are displayed.  Some are 2 bed, some are 3 bed but 1 bath.  All are cheaper than found on the "apartment" search, though often in the same developments. 

Does anyone have a development that they would heartily recommend, or even would heartily avoid?!!

Is anyone a regular bus traveller, and would recommend a certain development because of bus access?