Count the budget together with utilities
Before you look at listings, do the math. The amount in a listing is often just the rent. On top of it come electricity, gas, water, internet and a building maintenance fee. In a new building, maintenance and the elevator can be a separate expense. And in an old building, heating costs rise noticeably in winter.
Add everything into one figure and set it next to your monthly income. Ask on the very first call who pays for utilities and how. One landlord charges by the meter, another asks for a fixed amount. To know the market level, look at the live prices page on the site: it shows current average prices in Baku by district.
On move-in you are usually asked for two sums right away: the first month’s rent and a deposit that stays as security. Set this money aside in advance. Otherwise, even when you find an apartment you like, you may miss it.
- Rent
- Electricity, gas and water (by meter)
- Internet and TV
- Building maintenance and the elevator
- Deposit and the first month’s rent
Choose a district by the commute, not by the renovation
When choosing an address in Baku, think most about the commute to work or university. An apartment near the metro is a little more expensive, but once you count the time in traffic and the money for taxis, it pays off. First find which metro line and which stations suit you for work. Then search around those stations.
Nasimi, Narimanov, Yasamal and Sabail districts are close to the center. Rent there is higher, but there are many apartments and transport is at hand. For the same money in Nizami, Binagadi, Sabunchu and Surakhani districts you can usually find a bigger or renovated apartment. In suburban settlements prices are lower still. There, do not forget how long the commute takes and that transport runs less often in the evenings.
What each district is like and what it gives for what money, we have written up in a separate guide. Once you have chosen a district, turn on the filters on the site. To begin with, the metro, floor, number of rooms and whether the apartment is furnished are enough.
What to check at the viewing
When you go to see an apartment, first find out who is in front of you. The landlord, a relative or an intermediary? Ask the landlord to show the title deed (kupcha) and ID. The name on the title deed must match the name on the ID. If someone other than the landlord is renting out the apartment, ask whether they have the authority to do so.
If you are working with an intermediary, agree in advance who pays for their services and when. A serious agent does not mind you looking at the documents and introduces you to the landlord. If the landlord never appears and the agreement is not made in their name, be careful.
Then inspect the apartment itself. Open the faucets and check the water pressure, look at the drains, the gas stove, the wiring, the windows and the heating. Photograph the meters, otherwise a debt built up before you moved in may stay with you. Your first impression of the stairwell and the neighbors says a lot too.
- The landlord’s title deed and ID
- In whose name the apartment is being rented out
- Meter readings, old debts
- Water, gas, electricity, heating
- A list of the items and their condition
Red flags: when it is better to walk away
Fraud often starts like this: you have not seen the apartment yet, and they are already asking you for money. Stay away from offers that ask for a transfer “to hold the apartment,” put off a meeting and demand an advance, while the photos are taken from other listings. Do not give money to anyone until you have seen the apartment and met the landlord.
A listing far cheaper than the market should also put you on guard. Behind such a listing there is often either a serious problem with the apartment or an invented listing. And sometimes the landlord hides some of the terms. Compare the price with the prices page on the site: if it is far below the district average, ask why.
They do not show documents. They ask for money only in cash, with no receipt. They avoid signing an agreement. The intermediary will not let you talk to the landlord directly. Even one of these is enough to say goodbye and keep searching. There are plenty of good apartments in Baku; it is not worth taking a risk.
- They demand money or an advance before the viewing
- They refuse to show the title deed
- The price is far below the market
- Cash without a receipt, avoiding an agreement
- The landlord never shows up
Deposit, first month and rental agreement
If you have agreed, put everything into a written rental agreement. How much the rent is and on what day it is paid. What the deposit is and on what terms it is returned. Who pays for utilities. Until what date the agreement runs and what happens if you want to move out earlier. A verbal promise will not help you in a dispute.
The deposit protects the landlord: the apartment may be damaged, a payment may be late. It is not payment for the last month; it is returned on move-out after looking at the condition of the apartment. So on move-in day, photograph both the apartment and the items, and attach the list of items (the handover act) to the agreement.
Let every payment leave a trace: a receipt or a bank transfer. If you pay in cash, take at least a simple receipt. A sample agreement and a clause-by-clause walk through it are in a separate guide. Before signing, check whether all the clauses from it are in your document.
What speeds up the search
A good apartment in Baku does not stay in the listings for long. Do not comb through the site by hand every day: save a search with filters and turn on notifications. You set the district, budget, number of rooms and metro once. As soon as a suitable new listing appears, a notification arrives on your phone, and you are among the first to call.
While you have not found long-term housing, you can stay in a daily rental. Renting a place for a short time and searching calmly while you are in the city is better than signing an agreement from afar, in a rush, without seeing the apartment. If you are a student or have only just started working, renting an apartment together with a roommate also eases the budget noticeably.
When you call, do not drag out the conversation. When you want to move in, how many people will live there, whether you have pets: say so right away. Neither your time nor the landlord’s is wasted, and they will take you seriously.