Rental viewing checklist: questions that change your budget

Take a cost sheet to the viewing

Prepare columns for rent, building charges, heating, electricity, water, internet and required one-off payments. Mark each as included, separately billed or unresolved. Ask who bills it and how the amount is calculated. A verbal claim that bills are low is not a price: request the relevant tariff or an example bill with personal information removed.

Check the apartment behind the number

Note floor area, usable bedrooms, heating equipment, appliances and meter arrangements. Compare these with the property category used in your calculator result. Ask whether the example bill covers a full period and a similar household. Do not copy a previous resident’s bill as your own forecast if their occupancy, heating use or included services differ.

Leave with an uncertainty list

Write down answers, dates and which terms still need written confirmation. Do not mark unknown fees as zero to finish the spreadsheet. Before making a commitment, check the agreement and identity of the counterparty through appropriate local channels. This is a budgeting checklist, not a substitute for a property inspection or advice on local tenancy rights.

Sources and further reading

• Lifovra — methodology and limitations