Renting a House

Rahul moves to a new city for work and visits a broker to find a house on rent, negotiating the deposit and monthly rent.

Meanings in Rahul, Property broker, Landlord

Key words and phrases

rentmoney paid regularly to use a house or propertyThe monthly rent is fifteen thousand rupees.

deposita sum of money paid in advance as securityThe landlord asked for a two-month deposit.

brokera person who helps find property to rent or buyThe broker showed us three flats.

landlorda person who owns and rents out propertyThe landlord lives on the ground floor.

lease agreementa legal document stating the terms of rentingRead the lease agreement carefully before signing.

furnisheda property that comes with furnitureWe prefer a furnished flat.

maintenancethe fee for upkeep of common areas in a buildingMaintenance is charged separately every month.

notice periodthe time you must inform before vacating a rented houseThe notice period for vacating is one month.

negotiateto discuss to reach an agreement, often about priceHe negotiated the rent down by two thousand.

vacateto leave a place, especially a rented houseWe need to vacate the flat by month end.

tenanta person who rents and lives in a propertyThe tenant signed the agreement yesterday.

utility billscharges for services like electricity and waterUtility bills are not included in the rent.

societya residential community with shared facilitiesThe society has a small garden and parking area.

brokeragethe fee paid to a broker for their serviceThe brokerage was equal to one month's rent.

parking spacean area assigned for parking a vehicleThe flat comes with one parking space.

balconyan outdoor platform attached to a roomThe bedroom has a small balcony.

water supplythe system providing water to a houseThe water supply here is available all day.

electricity metera device that measures power usageThe electricity meter is outside the flat.

lock-in periodthe minimum time you must stay before leavingThere is an eleven-month lock-in period.

inventorya list of items and fittings present in the houseThey prepared an inventory before moving in.

Useful sentences

Ask Is this flat available for rent?
Answer Yes, it's available from next month.
Ask How much is the monthly rent and deposit?
Answer The rent is fifteen thousand, with a two-month deposit.
Ask Is the flat furnished?
Answer Yes, it comes with a bed, wardrobe, and kitchen cabinets.
Ask Can we negotiate the rent a little?
Answer I can reduce it by one thousand rupees.
Ask What is the notice period for vacating?
Answer You need to give one month's notice.
Ask Are utility bills included in the rent?
Answer No, you'll have to pay them separately every month.
Ask Does the society have a parking space?
Answer Yes, one covered parking space is included.
Ask How much is the brokerage fee?
Answer It's equal to one month's rent.
Ask Is there a lock-in period for this flat?
Answer Yes, it's eleven months.
Ask Can we prepare an inventory before moving in?
Answer Sure, that's a good idea to avoid disputes later.

Dialogue

RahulI'm looking for a one-bedroom flat on rent near the office.

BrokerI have a good option. It's furnished and close by.

LandlordThe rent is fifteen thousand, plus a two-month deposit.

RahulCan we negotiate the rent a bit?

LandlordI can reduce it by one thousand for a long-term tenant.

RahulThat works for me. Let's sign the lease agreement.

BrokerGreat, I'll also note the brokerage fee in the agreement.

RahulIs there a lock-in period I should know about?

LandlordYes, it's eleven months from the start date.

RahulThat's fine. Let's also prepare an inventory of the furniture.

Common mistakes

Saying "take a house on rent" instead of "rent a house" or "take a house for rent."
Confusing "deposit" and "advance" — deposit is refundable security money, advance often refers to the first month's rent paid ahead.
Saying "leave the house" instead of "vacate the house" in a formal rental context.
Saying "I am tenant of this house" instead of "I am a tenant of this house" — don't drop the article.
Saying "electricity bill comes in rent" instead of "utility bills are included in the rent."
Saying "lock period" instead of "lock-in period" when referring to the minimum stay duration.

Quick quiz

1. What is a "deposit" in renting?

2. A person who helps find property to rent is called a ___.

3. Complete: "We need to ___ the flat by month end."

4. What is a "lock-in period"?

5. Complete: "The brokerage was equal to one month's ___."

6. A person who rents and lives in a property is called a ___.

Practise speaking and listening

The free Day to Day English app turns every lesson into practice with audio, a story you follow and more than 1680 words to learn.

Free for AndroidPractise in the app

menu_book Key words and phrases

forum Useful sentences

chat Dialogue

error Common mistakes

quiz Quick quiz