Property for Rent
In Montenegro

There are no standard rules when renting a property in Montenegro as the real estate industry here is very unregulated. Although rental terms and conditions are generally similar between agencies and landlords, there are always some differences. Each rental case must be discussed and the terms of the contract agreed upon before you sign anything. You should also be careful to make sure you understand the terms of the contract in your own language. Ask for a copy of the rental contract in advance, then translate it into your language to inspect the terms in detail. Do not assume anything!

One characteristic of the real estate market in Montenegro that may seem strange is that you will often find the same property advertised with multiple agencies. It is even quite common to find them advertised at different prices on different websites! The simple reason for this is that the agencies often decide how to price the property. The first agent who brings a client to sign a contract is the one who will collect their commission from the property owner. This applies to both property sales and rentals alike. 

When you have found a rental property that you like and have completed a viewing if you want to hold the property until the contract is signed a small deposit is usually required. €100 Euros should suffice for this. From this point, you will need to review the terms of the rental contract.

In Montenegro, the standard practice is for rental agents to collect their commission from the owner of the property. It is not normal practice for the tenant (renter) to pay fees to the agent, although I have heard of it being requested. You can ask this question in advance and feel free to politely refuse if you wish. Who you do business with is completely up to you! 

It is important to note that most landlords will not be interested in making the effort to sign a contract for less than a 6 month rental period. It is not common to sign a contract for a 3 month rental contract, for example. 

The tenant is usually responsible for paying the utility bills for the rental property, unless it is agreed otherwise. The standard utility bills in Montenegro are electricity, water, garbage and internet. Depending on the type of building, there can sometimes be a regular maintenance fee. 

If you sign a rental agreement for 12 months, the standard payment terms are to pay 1 month rent, plus a security deposit equal to 1 month rent. However, if you sign a contract in the busy summer season, or before it, the owner may ask for a larger deposit or charge a higher rent for the summer months. This is because rental properties are extremely valuable for summer rentals, so owners can be wary of giving a lower 12 month price, and then having the tenant leave at the start of winter. Please keep this in mind. 

If you decide to break the rental contract by leaving early, then you would usually forfeit your deposit. You would then also be liable for the costs of any damages caused to the property, if there were any. This is no different to renting a property in most other countries.
If you complete your contract without any issues or damage to the property, then the landlord should return your deposit within one month of you leaving the property.

Finding rental properties which accept pets will be more difficult. Landlords are always concerned that animals will damage furniture, leave hair and smells, as well as disturbing other tenants and neighbours. There are some landlords who accept pets if you keep looking and ask enough people.

When it comes to signing the rental contract, you will usually need a court-certified translator present to verbally translate the contract from Montenegrin to your own language, or to English if they consider you fluent enough. The cost of the translator is paid by the tenant and is usually around €30 Euros per hour. You can also request an official translation of the contract at an additional cost of €15 to €20 Euros per page.

Some rental contracts also state that the tenant is responsible for paying any taxes resulting from the rental of the property, which is usually referring to the 9% tax paid on the rental income.

If you are applying for a temporary residence permit, or work permit, then you will need to sign the rental contract at a notary with the translator as described above. It is important to ensure that the dates on the contract cover the whole period of the 12 month residence permit and that all persons applying for a permit at that address are included in the contract. 
It is advisable to request at least 1 extra copy of the contract from the notary, because it is easier than having to request extra copies at a later date if they are required.