Finding medium- to long-term rent in Italy can be daunting and time-consuming.
The national rental market has become tighter in recent years, making options slim and competition fierce, especially in major cities such as Milan, Rome and Florence.
If you're looking for a house or apartment to rent in Italy, there are several different factors to consider: the price, the size and location of the property, whether to go private or through an estate agent, and, of course, the competition.
But there's another thing that you should keep in mind: it's not rare for landlords in Italy to ask tenants for their most recent payslips, a copy of their employment contract or recent income tax returns (this is generally asked of self-employed professionals) as a condition for finalising the rental agreement.
This can create challenges for people looking to rent an apartment while not in employment.
Is this legal?
Under Italian law, prospective tenants are under no obligation to show their pay slips (buste paga), work contract (contratto di lavoro) or tax returns (dichiarazioni dei redditi) before signing a rental contract, meaning you cannot be forced to produce these documents and can turn down any such request.
That said, it is worth bearing in mind that an owner can lawfully refuse to rent out their property to anyone turning down their request for evidence of work-related income, meaning you may lose out to prospective tenants who show the above-mentioned documents.
READ ALSO: 8 things in Italy landlords can never ask of their tenants
Fortunately, this is not a Catch-22 situation as there are various ways you can convince potential landlords that you are financially solvent enough to rent their property without a job.
Pension documentation
If you're retired and you're looking to rent, any official documents which show how much pension money you receive every month, along with bank statements reflecting savings, should suffice to convince a landlord or estate agent that you're solvent.
Signing with a guarantor
A common method for renting an apartment without proof of work income is to offer the landlord a guarantor or co-signer (garante or co-firmatario) who declares themselves willing to pay the debt on behalf of the tenant if they do not fulfil their payment obligations.
Should you opt to rent with a guarantor in place, you must either enter into an independent contract between the landlord and the guarantor or put a special clause in the rental contract.
There are two types of guarantee (garanzia) in Italy: one that allows the homeowner to ask the guarantor to pay the debt without initiating legal action against the defaulting tenant and one that is triggered only after the legal action against the defaulter is unsuccessful.
Bank certification
For those who have liquid assets in their current account (for example from investments), your bank may be able to issue a certification (l’attestazione bancaria) assuring the landlord that their client is financially able to support the monthly rent.
Speaking of banks, a simple bank statement might also ease the mind of your landlord as it allows them to see your income.
A pledge and a confirmatory deposit
You may also be able to pay a pledge (pegno) whereby you deposit money into a restricted current account (conto corrente vincolato), meaning the landlord will only be able to use the money once the tenant stops paying.
The tenant pays this sum as a guarantee of future payment. This should be stipulated in your rental contract.
Similarly, another solution may be to establish an agreement that the future tenant pays a sum of money into a restricted account as a confirmatory deposit (caparra confirmatoria).
The landlord can decide whether to withhold the deposit in the event of non-payment.
An advance and a security deposit
Legally speaking, a landlord can only request a maximum of three months’ security deposit (deposito cauzionale) on rentals.
READ ALSO: Renting in Italy: How to avoid falling victim to security deposit scams
However, they can also ask for an advance payment (l’anticipo). An advance could then be used to offset rent that the tenant is required to pay.
Overall, there are two things to take into account before signing on a rental in Italy when unemployed.
Firstly, landlords will more than likely look for proof of savings, a safety net and/or passive income.
Secondly, it is always a good idea to double-check with the landlord if the alternative methods mentioned above will suffice in lieu of pay slips and work contracts.
Please note The Local cannot advise on individual cases. For further information, it is advisable to get in touch with a qualified property expert.
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