5 Things Millennials don’t know about Renting their own place

More and more millennials want their own private space. They yearn the experience of living alone and enjoy the freedom that comes with it. But are they really ready to move out? Here are five things millennials don’t know about renting their own place:

1. Saying goodbye to your family

It’s not as dramatic as it sounds but this much is true. Renting your own apartment means living apart from your family and this means learning to be independent!

But, it might not be as exciting as it sounds. Now, you bear the burden of your own utility bills and keeping your laundry when it rains. You no longer have homecooked food and takeaways are normal for dinner.

Basically, there will be a change in your lifestyle. The transit from having a family around you to being alone might need some getting used to. Some people even get homesick even though Singapore is pretty small.

2. And hello to housework and maintenance

Okay, so you weren’t pampered and can handle it. Great. But remember that, even if you did do a lot of housework before, you probably had some division of labour between family members. Now however, you need to mop the whole house yourself, vacuum all the rooms, maintain every part of the kitchen from the cabinets to the fridge, etc.

The amount of time this takes may not sink in, until you burn the first weekend just scrubbing between tiles.

Also, things have a nasty habit of breaking at the worst times. Burst kitchen pipe flooding the house? It’ll happen at 2pm while you’re at work. Front door lock is jammed? It’ll happen at 2 am when you’re back from Boat Quay, and really need to use the toilet.

Mum, dad, or other family members won’t be around to help you deal with these.

3. Dealing with Landlords

Let’s put it out there – this requires skills. No doubt renting a place in Singapore is not as risky as elsewhere in the world. But still, you’ll be signing a tenancy agreement and the last thing you want is to be on the shorter end of the stick.

Be sure to go through the agreement thoroughly before putting your signature on it. It’s advisable to take photos of the place before you move in and check for any defects. Note your maximum liability for repair works and agree on the ground rules. The list goes on and on.

You might also want to clarify if utility bills are included in the rental, and ask about the details like whether you can smoke in the house. Remember, the landlord is all business, and many won’t tolerate even small slip-ups.

4. Want to find a fair deal? It’s a lot of studying and homework.

You didn’t have a say in the house you were living in but now, you call the shots.

Is your rental really worth more because the unit is on the ground floor? How much will you save (or waste) by choosing to stay near the MRT? What’s the rental rate of the neighbouring unit, and why is yours more expensive or unusually cheap?

You can get some help from a property agent; but it’s down to you to make sure you aren’t being ripped off. And there’s a lot to learn and filter through when deciding on a fair price. You can also get help from the 99.co map though, to check the right prices in a given area.

5. Spartan living is often necessary

You already know you can’t bring everything with you – but remember you can’t leave with all your new stuff either. Remember you’re not living in your rental unit permanently; but you can accumulate a massive amount of stuff even over a year or two.

How are you going to move out a massive wardrobe, for example, when it’s time to leave? You’ll soon realise that your consciousness of this results in some pretty spartan surroundings. You can’t fully make yourself at home, because you’re not!

On another note, if you have a pet at home (that you love as your soulmate) and want to bring it over do note that you will have to check the agreement before bringing any living thing home. You don’t want to end up having to live on the streets!

What else do millennials not know about renting their own place? Voice your thoughts in our comments section or on our Facebook community page.

Looking for a property? Find the home of your dreams today on Singapore’s largest property portal 99.co! You can also access a wide range of tools to calculate your down payments and loan repayments, to make an informed purchase.