You have decided to come to Florence for a long term stay, let’s say from 6 to 12 months. It might be for teaching, business, relocation, or long term vacation (there is always a good reason to come to Florence).
Read on to get some useful information about what to expect when coming for a long term stay in our beautiful city.
Plan Ahead your long term stay in Florence
Florence is one of the most visited cities and offers plenty of choice for lodging. It is important to think about what your requirements are while abroad to help your agency find you the most suitable accommodation.
Here are a few to get you started
- Do you want to stay in town, or on the outskirts of Florence?
- What type of lodging are you looking for; residence, apartment, villa?
- How many will be in the party, will you bring animals, children, elderly people?
- Do you have any special needs or requirements?
- Define your maximum budget, this will help narrow down the search.
- Limit the number of agencies you will be working with to 3 or 4. The market is competitive in Florence, and agencies may list the same properties.
Besides our own Firenze Lodging, there are several rental agencies that can help you find accommodation in Florence. JUST IN CASE our site or our assistance doesn’t help you find what you are looking for 🙂
Useful Tips For What To Expect
These tips aren’t just for Florence, they might be helpful no matter where in Italy you plan to stay.
What you need in Italy for a long term stay?
Depending where you come from as a tourist, you might be able to stay in Italy up to 90 days with your tourist Visa. For more exhaustive information about extended stay, you should consult the following expats in Italy web site which is a great resource for those planning a long term relocation in Italy
After you take care of your permits and paperwork for coming you must also obtain a Codice Fiscale before or as you arrive in Italy. This is required for signing any contract lease for any duration over 30 days, some agencies will assist you in this process.
What kind of contract lease will you need to sign?
If you are coming to stay in Italy on an extended holiday you might try a Tourist Rental Contract. This is the simplest contract we have in Italy and they very in length from one day to several months.
Contracts under 30 days are not required to be registered with the public authorities. However they are not just a handshake between you and the landlord either.
Italian Rental Contract Resources
- On Rental Contracts by Italy Global Property Guide
- Italian Rental Contracts on justlanded
When you sign a contract for over one month, they are required to be registered and you will need to obtain your Codice Fiscale as mentioned above.
If you will be coming to Italy to relocate, the above resources will be an invaluable help. The most suitable rental contract for you will be a classic 4+4 year contract which Italians sign when renting homes for long periods of time.
What to Keep in Mind When Renting Long Term in Italy?
I personally suggest that you book your property online up to 6 months in advance. That way you avoid commission costs which can be up to 15% of the total rental cost.
This is because showing properties locally for short term leases is time consuming and not very profitable for agencies.
I have found that lately people, especially students, try coming to Florence and renting cheap B&B’s or Hostel for a few days and then start house hunting with local agencies. Looking at the property with your own eyes is always better than looking at pictures or videos, but be aware of few things: agencies will charge you a lot for this service.
You will find last minute agencies or private owners who don’t speak English; and have little or no experience working with short term rentals and foreigners. You might ending up renting the uncle’s flat and left on your own when you need help.
Then if there are problems you will have to look for another agency and pay another commission. Better to play it smart from the beginning.
Trusted agencies will do their best to assist you in your search for the right apartment. Many web sites have great images and information to help you choose the right property. If yours is a reasonably short stay, book online for the best benefits.
If you still want to pursue the adventure you are welcomed to try looking yourself.
Resources & Classifieds
- Kijiji
- Annunci.it
- Bakeka.it
- Graiglist/Florence lots of bargain there 🙂
Agencie Fees For Long Term Rentals
As mentioned above if you book online 6 to 8 months in advance you will pay very little commission, no more than 5% to 8% of the total rent cost.
Once you are in Florence and you decide to search properties locally, agencies will charge from 15% to 20% on the total rental cost.
The agency fee for a long term rental contract, either for one year or a 4+4 year, will be one months rent. For example if you rent a property for 1500 € / month, the rental fee will be 1500 € + IVA (VAT) 20%. Keep this in mind, as in other countries the commission is only paid by the property owner, in Italy / Florence it’s taken from both sides.
5 More Helpful Tips
- Narrow your search to only the areas you are interested in.
- Don’t work with more than 3 or 4 rental agencies.
- Provide as much information as you can to your agent / agency
- Make sure the agent / agency speaks decent English and is licensed. You can check the licensed real estate agents of Florence at the Camera di Commercio di Firenze.
- When you find a property you like, DON’T LET IT SLIP AWAY, competition among agents is high, and the demand is equally massive. If you really like the house don’t spend too much time thinking, the good ones go quickly
Happy Florence’s long term stay!
Images from eddale