As a tenant, if you would like to rent an apartment in Bangkok, there are different types of potential problems you need to be aware of. For instance, renters of apartments often suffer from a lack of storage space and car parking. There might even be specific rules in a building, like no pets or loud music after 9:00 pm, that you disagree with. On the plus side, apartments generally have excellent building management and assistance with repairs 24/7.
In light of this, you should become well-versed with the ins and outs of the Bangkok renting scene before you go looking at properties. So today, our focus is on sharing expert tips that will help anyone planning to rent an apartment in the City of Angels.
Set Your Budget
Nobody likes to waste time, that’s why setting your budget, and sticking with it, from the outset is so important. By doing this, you can immediately narrow down your search field, which will save a lot of effort, and dare we say heartache, in the long run. As a ballpark, keep in mind that experts recommend renters have a gross monthly income that is at least three times the cost of their rent.
Access Storage Space
No matter how big an apartment might seem at first glance, as soon as you and all your boxes move in, you suddenly find you don’t have space for your sporting equipment, winter gear and unread books. This is a widespread problem in Bangkok apartments, particularly newer ones built in the 2000s. Make sure you carefully inspect how much storage space is actually on offer; this could make or break a potential property.
Utilities Situation
Renting an apartment with utilities (electricity, water, internet, etc) included saves money and effort. Ask your real estate agent or prospective landlord whether or not utilities are calculated as a part of your monthly rent. If they are omitted, don’t shy away from asking at precisely what rate (government vs private) that will be charged and on average, what the previous tenants paid per month.
Check the Walls
Another problem with newer apartments in the city is that they have very, very, very thin walls. Living in an apartment invariably means that you’ll have neighbours that are to the left, right, above and below you. Because of this, the question of noise becomes very important. Try to schedule your unit viewing during either the early morning or late evening, to access the noise level from neighbours and outside (aka street traffic).
Community Rules
Just like with condominium buildings, apartment communities come with their own set of terms and rules. For instance, you might not be allowed to make changes to the outward appearance of your apartment, store your bicycle in the walkway, have any pets (including ones in cages) or make motorbike repairs in the carpark. To avoid any unnecessary trouble, ask what the ‘community rules’ for that particular building are.
And lastly, as a bonus tip, if you can, talk to people already living in the apartment building to get the ‘real story’ about living there. We hope the above tips have helped and wish you luck in your hunt to rent an apartment in Bangkok.
