Finding and renting property for expats in Malaysia

There are many avenues for finding and renting a property for expats in Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur and Selangor, specifically), and we’ll look at some of them and highlight some great advice.

The good news is that you can do most of your home search online. However, I’ve found that some homeowners don’t always list their apartments online.

Foreign price

The top property search websites are Mudah, iProperty and Propwall. If you’re an ‘other expat‘ like me (especially black or Arab), it’s best to specify up front when contacting the property agent/owner that you’re not local, and where you’re from.

If you’re in the country already and you already have an ideal neighbourhood in mind, you can check out the condominiums and houses for “To Let” signs or the noticeboards in nearby convenience shops like 7-11.

In many cases, that will mean higher prices if the owner decides to rent the apartment to you, or you’ll get an outright rejection for being a ‘foreigner’. If you get rejected, maybe don’t take it too personally. The country, unfortunately, has no laws against preferential treatment. Homeowners have the right to rent their properties to whomever they choose.

Longer is better

When you find a place you like, and the homeowner has no qualms renting it to you, try to negotiate the asking price. If you can, getting a 2-year contract helps reduce the monthly rental. The owner is sure of his income for 24 months. You get a lower price. Win-win.

If you have a job and have a contact/business card (especially for other expats), this improves your chance of being considered someone who can afford the rent. If you work for a popular company, even better, mention that first.

Check everything

When viewing the house, check for damp walls and leaky faucets. I remember renting a place that had a bucket of water in the bathroom. And then, after signing a contract, I realised the faucet leaked whenever it was turned on. The previous occupant used the bucket instead of fixing the faucet.

For things like that, inform the homeowner; they can fix it out of pocket before you start living there, or they’ll ask you to fix it, and you can deduct the amount from the monthly rent. Speaking of finances, you’ll need a deposit, and the most common (sometimes negotiable) is the 2+1+0.5 arrangement.

Finances

That’s 2′ months' rent as a deposit, which you’ll get back in full at the end of your contract, assuming you don’t break anything in the house. The ‘1’ is your rental for the first month. The half-month rent goes to outstanding utility payments.

Your rental will be paid in advance on a monthly basis, usually within the first seven days of the month. This will be indicated in your tenancy agreement. Take note of the items listed in the agreement as being in the apartment. Check and confirm that they are indeed in the house.

The contract is important

Read through the entire tenancy agreement before you sign it. You’ll have to pay the lawyer's fees to draw up the agreement. The cost varies from RM10 to RM100. The agreement will also indicate the number of months in advance you’ll need to inform the homeowner if you intend to renew your contract.

Typically, this is within two months. If you choose not to, the homeowner or agent checks the house on or before the last day of your contract before they can refund your deposit. If everything is intact, you get your full deposit. If you ruined something, the cost of repairs will be deducted from your initial deposit and the balance returned to you.

That’s it. Did I miss something? How easy or difficult is renting a property for expats in Kuala Lumpur/Selangor? What’s your experience been like?