How to rent an apartment with a small child

When there are no opportunities to buy real estate, or for some other reason, the family prefers to rent an apartment, the question immediately arises of how to find suitable housing.

In addition to the important factors that determine the comfort of living, finding a compromise with the property owner remains an important point - not everyone is ready to rent out housing to a couple with a small child. How to rent an apartment with a child and take into account all the parameters of good housing, as well as satisfy the requirements of the landlord? We will discuss this in the article. By the way, if you are thinking about buying real estate, we recommend that you contact our professional luxury real estate agency THE Capital. 

What should be an apartment: we take into account all the nuances

If we are talking about a long-term lease, first of all, you need to understand that the apartment is chosen for the growth of the child. A 2-year-old fidget will quickly reach 7, 12 and 17 years of age - they are all different people with completely different interests and needs. So if you're going to rent a house with a child or, even more so, rent an apartment with children, you need to take into account a number of points so as not to regret the choice in a few years and to exclude spontaneous moving. 

Layout

Over time, the child will need a workspace, so if you are considering an option between one and two-room apartments, the question disappears by itself in favor of more real estate. Also consider:

• A toddler of preschool and school age needs a personal area for classes + a place for games and storage of toys.
• Choose an apartment so that you can make rearrangements. For example, being small, the child loves his car bed, but after a few years he will need a massive bunk loft bed with a work desk.
• Think about what kind of furniture should be present in the apartment. This is important, because with the growth of the child, the number of clothes, shoes and toys will grow - all this will need to be stored somewhere. For example, if you want to rent an apartment in Kiev with a child, pay attention to the presence of a built-in wardrobe. Usually they are roomy enough and convenient as storage places.

Floor

If the family has a small child, it is better if the apartment is located on the 2-3 floor. Yes, most modern apartment buildings have elevators, but they should not be ruled out. In addition, it is not always convenient to load into the cab with a stroller, toys and a child in your arms.

Access to the house and entrance

This question concerns the accessibility of the entrance to the house by personal transport and the availability of all conditions for movement and delivery of a stroller. 

• First, make sure that there are parking spaces nearby or in the local area. 
• Then inspect the entrance and make sure that there is a full ramp in front of the entrance for a stroller, and later a bicycle.

Playground in the yard

Daily walks are a guarantee of excellent health and sufficient physical activity for a growing baby. Therefore, it is important that there is an equipped playground near the house where you will be renting an apartment. 

Kindergartens, schools, hospital

Renting apartments with children is usually of interest in areas where there are a large number of kindergartens and development centers, schools, clinics and hospitals. It will be convenient for parents to take their child to classes as soon as possible, and in case of illness, quickly find a doctor.

Read more:: How to rent out non-residential premises? 

This point should include the convenience of transport interchanges and the saturation of consumer infrastructure. It's good when shops, malls, supermarkets, metro and bus stops are within walking distance, since you will have to buy groceries every day and organize leisure activities for your child on weekends, including in other areas.

Choose safe areas

If a small child is always under supervision, then over time he will begin to move independently, therefore safety is one of the important criteria for parents. 

• Study the crime rate in the selected area.
• Walk along the adjacent streets: how many pedestrian crossings are there? Are traffic lights installed?

Why Not All Landlords Accept Tenants With Children

It's no secret that most landlords refuse tenants with children. The most common reason for refusals is the fear that at one point the family will not be able to pay rent on time. In such a situation with a single person or a couple, the problem can be easily solved by eviction; it is more difficult to do this with children. Other reasons for refusals:

• Fear of repairs. Over time, babies begin to crawl and walk, so they can ruin fresh wallpaper or new furniture with pencils and felt-tip pens. By the way, for the same reason, some owners do not allow residents with pets.
• Noise. Children cannot control their emotions and rarely behave calmly, therefore, they simply cannot do without stomping, crying and other noise, and the neighbors complain about this to the owner - hardly anyone will like to listen to the claims.
• Quick “wear and tear” of the apartment. Constant washing, daily cleaning and cooking - all this does not add freshness to the home. For example, walls in the kitchen become covered with “soot” from cooking faster, and because of high humidity there is a risk of developing fungus.

Read more:: Renting out an apartment: how to write an ad correctly? 

Is it possible to negotiate with the landlord

Practice shows that in most cases potential tenants still manage to negotiate with landlords and even give official guarantees. Of course, such situations do not apply to those cases when the owner has already put forward strict restrictions on the phone - no children or animals. If an opportunity arises to negotiate, experienced realtors recommend:

• Change the terms of the lease agreement to include obligations to preserve the condition of the apartment within the framework of the owner's requirements. If anything is damaged, take care of repair or replacement.
• Enter into a contract for a year, that is, the minimum period, even if you are planning a long-term residence and agree on this with the owner. In a year, you can prove that having a child does not necessarily lead to a deterioration in the condition of an apartment and endless complaints from neighbors.
• After settling in, always keep order in the apartment.

When you can’t find an apartment in one area for a long time, consider others, reconsider the parameters of housing. Try to look for options with a higher rent. In any case, if we are talking about Kyiv and the region, there are many adjacent areas from where you can easily get to anywhere in the capital. Do you need to rent an apartment with a child in Kyiv and your independent searches were not successful? Explore the options available in the database of our real estate agency. Our experts will offer housing that meets your requirements and help resolve all issues with the owner. Subscribe to our updates real estate blog and get the latest publications from the real estate agency THE Capital.