PBH / colombia (travelguide, pictures) / post

what is the process for renting an apt??

hi, I need to rent an apt and have heard its a bit complicated--like 20 billion people need to sign for you, or that someone who owns property needs to sign for you, or that you need to pay 6 months up-front.

can someone please explain the process to me? also, are leases usually by the year? I will be here for a little less than 2 years.

also, if i get a 2-bedroom is it usually pretty easy to find roomates to fill the room or is that hard?

thanks a bunch

By adiainthesky on Oct 21, 2007, 17:32 in Renting, selling & meetups.

RAAAY says on Oct 21, 2007, 18:03:

Yes.........it can be a pain in the ass............depending on the owner of the apt .
Rental agencies will TYPICALLY have a process that involves having a Colombian co-signer. This will be true also for getting cable and internet into the apt. Paying six-months up front would typically arise if you end up negotating with the owner and it would be used to negate the nessisity of having a co-signer.
Leases can be six or twelve months with twelve being the more common.
Getting a room-mate..............probably depends on which city you are going to..........

My two cents worth...............

Look forward to getting 10 totally different answers below...........

.

.........Its useless to argue with ignorance

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Lisa Zee says on Oct 21, 2007, 19:14:

If you pay 6 months in advance and you are a good tenant, you will build some trust with the owner. Make a lease where both can agree. I would not like the roommate part, that is pushing it a little.

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Gator says on Oct 22, 2007, 07:06:

Do NOT think this will be and easy path to follow, Grasshopper

"Credidi pretio parvo emere et magno vendere tibi in animo fuisse!" .

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dwmte7 says on Oct 22, 2007, 09:18:

the process? painful.

dwmte

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wendell13 says on Oct 22, 2007, 09:19:

I have rented 3 upper end apartments without cosignors here in Cali. It takes some time to find the right owners. Those that are more flexible. Basically it can be a hassle. I have never had any problems with getting internet service on my own.

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Rob77 says on Oct 22, 2007, 11:30:

BOYCOTT CITGO - CHAVEZ SUCKS!!!

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Juligan2 says on Nov 20, 2007, 05:06:

Some times some oweners can rent to you if you show you have enough money for pay. What city do you want to live?

Luxury apartment or rooms with cheap rates only 2 blocks from US embassy welovebogota.com

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Lowell says on Nov 20, 2007, 10:30:

Once I looked at an apartment in which the ad in the local paper and the sign in the window said utilities included, after realizing I was a Gringo, all of a sudden the utilities included wasn't offered. Cool. Typical "Gringo Screw".

Alfred E. Newman. "What. Me Worry?"

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pedro says on Nov 20, 2007, 11:30:

It's Colombia. There's not one universal process.

In general, the landlord will want the lease secured by either
- a guarantee by a friend or relative of yours who owns property (or 2, or 3 guarantors). Signed, notarised, fingerprinted. Or
- a term deposit that guarantees the lease. I'm assuming you need a cedula to open a term deposit, so this disqualifies recent arrivals to Colombia

You can sometimes get around the formal lease requirement. If you rent furnished, there is more chance they'll rent to you without a lease. Also if you pay wildly inflated tourist prices for the rental, they will rent to you with no lease.

If you're dealing direct to the owner, you can negotiate. If you're going through an agency, sometimes the agency just tells you they can't help you full stop.

que nota!

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Rob77 says on Nov 21, 2007, 05:13:

It is not unusual to ask for the co-signer with property and the term deposit, depending on credit history.

BOYCOTT CITGO - CHAVEZ SUCKS!!!

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