Do you have a problem with your landlord and you don’t know how to get out of it? contact us and we will assist you to assert your rights.
Once you have decided to move to Italy, you will need to find a place to rent in Italy.
What are your rights and responsibilities as a tenant in Italy?”
Knowing your rights as a tenant is very important to prevent landlords from taking advantage of you when you rent abroad.
Here’s a list of rights and responsibilities you can expect as a tenant in Italy. Let’s start with your rights.
In Italy, tenants have the right to:
Live in a property that is in good condition. This means that there cannot be any significant defects that drastically impact the agreed use. As a non-commercial tenant, that means the property is suitable to live in. This means proper access to water, electricity and meeting any necessary safety standards.
Live in a building that is well maintained.
The landlord has to take care of any major ‘extraordinary’ intenance that is required to keep suitable for its purpose: i.e. you living in it without major issues. This includes, for example, high-level maintenance to the integrity of the home’s electricity and plumbing systems, but not ordinary maintenance for minor issues like a drain blockage or changing lightbulbs.
Live in the building peacefully.
For the duration of the rental contract, the landlord cannot disturb the tenant’s peaceful enjoyment of the premises. For example, this means the landlord needs the tenant’s permission to enter the home
Access to all necessary documentation. Such as receipts of rental payments, evidence of expenses incurred during the upkeep of the property, necessary safety certifications and the energy certificate. It’s also the landlord’s responsibility to properly register your tenancy with the municipality.
Veto any disruptive changes by the landlord. If the changes limit your ability to use the property as intended, you have the right to block them. In the case of extensive repairs, you’re required to allow the landlord access, but you’re entitled to a reduction in rent if the repairs take up more than 20 days. If you run into this situation, professional legal advice is recommended.
Make improvements to the property at your own expense.
So, you’re free to paint, decorate or even change the flooring, as long as it doesn’t damage the property. The rule of thumb here is that you need to be able to remove or revert them at the end of your tenancy. Regardless, do let the landlord know if you intend to make major changes before you do so.
Good communication between you and your landlord is key to a happy tenancy!
Your rights as a tenant are offset by your responsibilities, which are just as important.
You’re obliged to:
Take responsibility for the property. During the tenancy, this means paying your rent in full within the agreed timeframe, observe due diligence in your use of the home and cooperating with the landlord in the case of necessary repairs or maintenance. Aside from rent, it also means you’re also expected to pay for the fees incurred for utilities and service contributions to any applicable communal spaces (e.g. elevator maintenance, lobby cleaning, etc).
Safeguard the state of the property. You’re required to perform ordinary maintenance as it’s required and needs to be able to restore the property to as close to its original state as possible. The only exception to this is the wear and tear that can be expected to naturally occur when inhabiting a property for x amount of years.
This means covering up your flashy paint job and removing that new flooring (if you can’t get the landlord or new tenant to buy it from you). You’re also liable for any loss or damage caused to the property if you’re unable to prove that the damage cannot be attributed to the tenant.