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The island of Bali is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. Bali has a lot of things to offer such as the beautiful nature, culture, friendly people, and an affordable way of living. Therefore, many people from around the world have chosen to reside or stay in Bali for the long term. Either they relocate to Bali with their family to have a new experience of living and cultural exchanges, open businesses, or make Bali as a home for those who work remotely.

One of the best options to live in Bali is to rent a property with a long term rental basis, because it means you pay less than what you would pay on a monthly basis. In order to create the best experience during your stay in Bali, here are some important things to check before renting a property in Bali.

  1. Contact the right agency.
    Make sure that you are contacting an authorized and certified property agency in Bali, in order to get a proper rental agreement and avoid any disputes in the future. A certified agency in Indonesia is an agency that is granted a special license for Broker Property from the government called SIU-P4 (Surat Izin Usaha Perantara Perdagangan Properti) and they have realtors with certifications. Most of the certified agencies are members of the Association of Real Estate Broker Indonesia (AREBI). When contacting an agency, tell the realtor briefly about your property criteria to save your time and energy.  
  2. Location, location, location.
    Take your time to explore the areas you want to live in. Check whether they have communal security, how far the location is from the social facilities such as hospitals, the airport, schools, market, whether it has car access, etc. Do not hesitate to recheck the area during the night or even try to stay at the property for a short period of time. Some of the properties are also available for daily rental.
  3. Pay attention to details during the inspection.
    Take a note on the things that you think are not ideal for you for a later assessment. Further, these disadvantages could be communicated to the property owner via the realtor for their improvements. Some owners are willing to do some minor renovations to make your stay more comfortable.
  4. Check the electricity, plumbing system, and water pressure.
    These are the most crucial things in a property. So please make sure all items related are checked and work properly to avoid problems during your stay. Please be advised that the quality of water varies from region to region. If you have any skin allergies, you need to pay attention to this matter. For your reference, there are two sources of water in Bali, from a well and city water (PDAM). While well water could be free or cheaper than city water. However, it is not recommended to drink or use water from both sources for cooking purposes. Alternatively, you can use mineral water sold in a gallon which costs $2 for a refill. 
  5. Check the quality of the building.
    Bali’s humidity can be high in certain seasons and mostly affects the quality of the properties. Therefore high maintenance is required in order to maintain the property. During the inspection, check the roof and ceiling for any leaks. Check the air conditioner installation, good installation will save you from headaches during the dry season when you will mostly use the air conditioner. 
  6. Create a thorough inventory.When going through the property’s inventory, make sure you point out any defects and take note of the state of the items (by taking photos of the broken sink, for example). If the property owner has not prepared an inventory, you can ask your realtor to prepare one, and then sign it together with the rental agreement. Please make sure you have taken photographs, and ask an independent witness to sign the document.
  7. Revisit the property at least 2 days prior to the move-in date.
    Prior to moving into your new home, double-check the condition of the property to make sure everything suits the agreement. Request for fogging to kill all the insects that might claim the house before you do! 
  8. Challenge any terms and conditions you’re not happy with.
    Sometimes you can challenge terms and conditions you’re not happy with, but this must be done before you sign the rental agreement. This can also apply to the owner’s repair obligations (fixing a broken cupboard door, for example). One of the other things you must know, most property owners in Bali require the rental payment in advance. Before sealing the deal, always recheck if there are inclusions in the price, and these items need to be written briefly in the contract.
  9. Find out where your deposit will be held.
    Some property owners require the deposit to be held by them. However, you have an option to request for the deposit to be held by the agency as a neutral party. There is a standard policy applied to the rental agreement in regard to the deposit. After the expiry date of the contract, the tenant has to vacate the premises and give the key to the property owner, who has up to 10 days to return the deposit after an inspection of the premises is done by the property owner or the agent representative and the inventory list has been verified. The property owner has the additional right to have the property professionally cleaned. For the postpaid electricity system and the internet, the tenant shall pay the last electricity bill usage and or can be deducted from the remaining bond as well as paying the last payroll list of the staff.
  10. Understand how rent increases work.
    If the tenancy is within a written fixed-term (one year, etc), then the rent cannot be lawfully increased without the agreement of the tenant. This is why choosing a long term rental gives you an advantage. It has a lower risk of rent increase without prior notice.
    Hope this article will help you to select the right property to be your home in Bali. Please feel free to contact our customer service if you require any further information. Send us an email to  info@rajavila.com or contact us directly at +62 81239988988.

    We will be happy to assist you!

    #enjoybali