Apartment Rental Charges

shuffles03

I'm researching renting my first place and was wondering if someone could help/guide/point me in the right direction with regards figuring out what potential additional charges I would have to pay on top of my monthly rent?

My budget is a ballpark figure of €750 per month and after looking extensively, apartments in Tallaght seem to offer the best bang for my buck for that price. I'm unsure how to work out what the additional prices would be ie electricity, heating, parking etc. I'm only researching at the moment so I'm not yet at the position of viewing possible locations. Is there a way to gauge in advance what extra charges I'd have to pay on top of the €750?

djimi

It varies from complex to complex but generally speaking with apartments the rental figure will include refuse, parking etc. The only extras on top of that would be electric and heating if seperate (most apartments are electric heating), and whatever other services you want yourself (TV, internet, phone etc).

shuffles03

So, realistically, the only additional charges on top of the €750 are electricity and whatever extra charges we add ie Internet, phone etc

TheBandicoot

Yes, that should be it- the other fees are paid by the landlord. Do ask the prospective landlord if he has paid the management fees/refuse collection fees before you sign anything though. If not you may have trouble during the tenancy.

shuffles03

Cheers for the help

shuffles03

So, with two people renting, two car park spaces, electricity, heating, Internet and tv, would I be right in adding €200-250 onto the €750 per month? I know it all depends on how much electricity one uses and that varies from place to place but does anyone have a general guideline or experience of how much these would cost on a monthly basis based on this type of accommodation?

djimi

Don't count on getting two parking spaces; most apartments will only have one.

To give you a rough idea my internet/TV with UPC costs I think €120 a month (that's with Sky Sports) and the electric will range from €150 in the summer to maybe €250ish in the winter. Other things to take into account are the TV license (€160 a year) and contents insurance (I pay €120 a year for mine).

Cushie Butterfield

As already mentioned by djimi it would be unlikely that two parking spaces would be included, but there would probably be notices up in the common areas advertising car park spaces to rent, or you could put one up asking for anyone wanting to rent theirs. This could be anything from €50 to €80 per month depending on the going rate. Make sure you confirm that there is at least one designated space included in your rent (or if there isn't a designated system in place that there are ample spaces regularly available).

It doesn't look as if water meters are being introduced until at least end of 2014, but when they arrive that will also be an added expense. Try to avoid storage heating (mightn't be possible), or at least if you have a choice between that & central heating go for the property with central. Enquire as to what the set up is as regards cable TV/Satellite/Broadband restrictions, if any. When you go for a viewing remember to check your mobile phone signal in all rooms.