Amount of rent deposit

risteard7

Hi folks im looking at moving up to dublin rathmines area. Ive been looking in daft and most of the places want a deposit which is fine but they want a month in advance too? Is this in all places? Im a first time renter and it just seems a lot to stump up in one go! It would mean i would have to save a bit longer

Howjoe1

no hard evidence but i would have thought u might be able to neg on just a mth in advance in current climate

djimi

A months deposit and first month up front is standard in pretty much any rented accomodation Ive ever seen. I doubt too many places will have a different arrangement.

djimi

Howjoe1 wrote: »

no hard evidence but i would have thought u might be able to neg on just a mth in advance in current climate

I doubt it tbh but its worth a try I suppose.

risteard7

Howjoe1 wrote: »

no hard evidence but i would have thought u might be able to neg on just a mth in advance in current climate

Yea thats what i was thinking:(

athtrasna

I actually would be thinking the other way round. With anecdotal increases in leases being broken, the very minimum a landlord would want would be the month's rent (rent is payable in advance) and a deposit of at least the same again.

MistyCheese

I happen to live in the area in which you are interested. While it's possible to find a landlord who will accept a deposit which is not one month's rent, that is the standard and most landlords do require this. I did once rent a property (in the Rathmines area) that asked for a €300 deposit when the property was €550 per month. However, this is the exception rather than the rule.

I've also rented in other areas and can confirm that asking for a months rent as a deposit is the norm. So, for example, if a flat/an apartment is on the market for €600 a month, you will typically need to have €1,200 (deposit plus the first month upfront) in order to move in to the property.

zef

An alternative where the LL does not always ask for 1mth & dep upfront would possibly be houseshare.
I agree moving into a place on yr own would usually cost 1k of yr own money upfront. Have heard of LL's who will accept the 1st month & paying the deposit in increments over the 1st 3 mths of the tenancy, it doesn't hurt to ask.

solovely

Places in Rathmines are in a lot of demand right now, so doubt landlords will be wiling to negotiate....ball is in their court, not yours (unless it's a dive!). And also, as pointed out, with many people breaking leases these days, landlords are likely to be stricter about this, rather than more lenient.

I'm surprised you didn't know this in advance, as it's one of the first things people consider when starting to rent. Have you also considered bills and other charges associated with renting?

ProudDUB

Agree with other posters that landlords wanting the first month rent is the norm. Not much wiggle room there, especially as Rathmines is such a popular area to rent in. If you can't pay the deposit, the landlord probably won't find much trouble finding someone who can. You could chance you arm and ask, but don't do so in a way that lets him know that your finances are a tad precarious, or he may not want to rent to you at all.

Also agree with the above poster of the importance of educating yourself of the implications and responsibilities of being a renter. For example, when you sign up for service with the ESB, they'll want a deposit of 300 quid unless you agree to pay your bill by direct debit. As will Bord Gais and Airtricity. So do your homework on that kind of thing too before you move.

risteard7

Thanks for the replies. Yea im fully aware of esb gas etc dd wouldnt be a problem. As a first time renter im no expert and i just thought it was a deposit and that was it. just the extra few bob would have been handy to get started but if thats the way they do it fair enough. Most places i was looking at it said gas and refuse was included in the rent? Its doing my head in surely moving into your own place shouldnt be such a chore

djimi

risteard7 wrote: »

Most places i was looking at it said gas and refuse was included in the rent? Its doing my head in surely moving into your own place shouldnt be such a chore

Refuse, yes. Gas, not necessarily. Most of the time utilities such as electric, gas/oil, tv, internet etc are your own responsbility. In fact, with varliable bills such as gas and electric unless you trust your landlord a lot then Id say its very much in your interest to have them in your name, as I have seen landlords cause issues overcharging when the tenant does not get the bill.