Malta - British Expat Forum

Hi,

I'm keen on spending sometime in Malta (about 3 months) to escape the British winter, I'd like to rent an apartment but due to the length of my stay I don't conveniently fit into either the 'long term rental' or 'short term rental' price brackets.
I have contacted several property agents and seem to be getting different stories on what I can expect to pay for a stay of this length, some are saying 10 - 20% above the advertised monthly rental price, others are saying I will have to pay the weekly advertised price.
Has anyone had experience of renting for this length of time and if so, what did you pay please.

Many thanks.
Andy

Hi Andy, and welcome to the forum

as you say, 3 months is a tricky period, but as its off peak, you should be fine - in the end it comes down to the landlord not the agent. The weekly rates tend to include utilities (and sometimes cleaning), so are always somewhat higher anyway than longer term rates.

The key is to negotiate - there are so many empty properties you should find something at a sensible rent.

To give you an example, here in Gozo, if your 3 months were Jan-March, prob find a nice 2-3 bed apartment for about € 400 a month (plus utilities), v € 300 for the same place on a long term rental - the weekly rent (incl utilities) would be around € 200

It does get very cold indoors in winter, especially in apartments so don't forget to factor in the heating costs. No central heating for the majority of people. No cavity wall insulation. Majority of homes do not have double glazing. Look up Central Lad's posts to give you a clue. Be warned!!!!! Come after middle of April.

People here are known to go outside to get warm in winter.

Thanks gents,

Thanks for the financial figures Mark, if I'm looking at an approximate increase in price of 33% on the monthly rental it gives me some idea of what properties I should be intending to rent.

My preference would be rather than booking somewhere electronically prior to me leaving, to come over and, with the help of an agent, view at a few places first.

Does anyone know whether there is a plentiful supply of 1 or 2 bed apartments available for rent or are they a bit thin on the ground, it's anywhere in Malta I'm looking for. I'd hate to get out there and not be able to find anything.

Mmm Red, you make it sound worse than the UK in the winter, perhaps I will bring my thermals with me.

Regards,
Andy.

There are thousands of apartments available

bear in mind, standard commission to an agent is 1 months commission (landlord and tenant each pay half) so you maybe better off not booking through an agent for a 3 month rent, or atleast to negotiate this commission

Before reading this do bear in mind that I've made the decision to go back to live in the UK next month after over 5 years here so ......

Winters here are short and not so chilly, however most of the houses and flats are built to keep cool which means that they are great in the summer but can be pretty miserable in the winter. The plus is that you get some sun and no snow for what is a pretty brief winter, but indoors can be quite grim and cavelike. Most people use Calor gas heaters which heat the immediate area well but don't really heat the whole flat/house very well. They also give out a lot of vapour and the cost of a gas bottle has increased hugely recently. I use a bottle a week (€16.50) and am still freezing but then I live in a very big old house. I've come to the conclusion that I'd rather spend the winters in my well insulated centrally heated house in the UK (and where there are many different things to do when the weather is awful) than in a freezing cold property here with not a lot of distractions.

I know Malta's supposed to have the perfect climate but for a good part of the year you're either far too cold or sweating to death. I find the winters inside too cold to be comfortable but love the guaranteed sunshine and absence of rain that goes with the summer however many people find the summers just too hot. Each to their own. I would say that if you really want to be warm throughout the winter then go to the tropics.

Jan-Feb is probably the worst time to live in Malta in a large house, but an apartment can be very different - get one thats south facing, and not on the top floor, and you can get away with minimal heating

Hi gents,

Thank you for all the replies, this has turned out to be a really useful source of information.

Thanks for the info' reference the climate Fred, I appreciate there are warmer places but Malta will do me for this year, let's see what it's like, just to see some blue sky will be a real blessing.

Mark, if I don't go through an agent where do I find apartments advertised that are available for rent, I've seen there are some in the MaltaTimesOnLine but are there other places they are advertised ?

Regards,
Andy.

IMHO Malta is not a place to winter in, very much for the reasons stated above, and that's assuming your rented house doesn't flood whenever you have heavy rain.

We're in Chiang Mai for the winter, around 30 deg every day and no rain for the past month, though I look forward to coming back to Gozo in April.

Bonneville wrote: Mark, if I don't go through an agent where do I find apartments advertised that are available for rent, I've seen there are some in the MaltaTimesOnLine but are there other places they are advertised ? .

1. an advert here costs £ 5, with 50% going to Gozo SPCA
2. when in Malta, just ask around in the local bars and shops - you will find loads offered

Bonneville, It is also well worth checking out local hotel rates - I hear from friends that there are some amazing deals offered at this time of year and it would at least start you off while you look around. In your position I would look for places easy to reach such as St Julians, Sliema and Valletta, as the buses here are not too reliable at present and further out of the centre it can be rather dead in winter. Do take note of the advice about the weather and bring warm clothes as winter here can feel very cold when the sun is not out.

PJ