Chile Forum

did you know apartments in providencia are some of the most expensive? are you only looking in that area or are you open to other nearby areas as well?

It is a long shot, but one of the advertisers on this site is www.airBnB.com , they deal in mostly very short stays but you never know, someone on there may know someone else...
May not work, but hey, the price is right to try.

Oh my goodness!! Please please tread this process carefully! I would never pay a commission to anyone to find me an apartment. Generally, the requirements to rent an apartment is the same everywhere in Santiago. You need to show a copy of your work contract (with at least a year under your belt), your last 3 paychecks (boletas/sueldo liquidos), make at least 3 times the price of the rental, a copy of your cedula and an aval (which is a co-signer who is Chilean that has the same documents). Oh! and just so you know, I've lived in Santiago for a little over 2 years and am from the US. if you have any other questions, just let me know

fadgaget wrote:Oh my goodness!! Please please tread this process carefully! I would never pay a commission to anyone to find me an apartment. Generally, the requirements to rent an apartment is the same everywhere in Santiago. You need to show a copy of your work contract (with at least a year under your belt), your last 3 paychecks (boletas/sueldo liquidos), make at least 3 times the price of the rental, a copy of your cedula and an aval (which is a co-signer who is Chilean that has the same documents). Oh! and just so you know, I've lived in Santiago for a little over 2 years and am from the US. if you have any other questions, just let me know

unfortunately chile is far from a perfect world, you have outlined a perfect world scenario that works in your perfect world

Not every one has ID, not every one has boletas not everyone has proof of paycheck, and not everyone needs a Chilean consigner or even has, not everyone obeys by the rules you outline!,

and commission is normal everywhere in santiago if a agent is involved, if its direct with the own, then of course note, 1/2 a months rent is normal for commession, even for a unfurnished apartment with a chilean to chilean contract if a agent is involved,

Services such as the ones mentioned help people who dont have time for the "crap" to find places or for short term, some are better than others, if people can give reviews it helps other people make that choice, if i were coming here for 3 months for work and i just needed it easy, i would use a service, thats me.

p.d im not supporting any of the services below, im just saying that some people need/want them

morningstar wrote:I would like to rent a unfurnished apartment in Providencia and since I don't speak Spanish well, I asked two agencies to help me. <banned company name> and <banned company name>. They have English speakers employees, however, <banned company name> is not dealing with unfurnished apartments at all, and <banned company name> asked me to pay $75 in advance if I want them to look for unfurnished apartments. I was quite disappointed with the furnished apartments they sent me last week, that's why I am a bit hesitating to pay them in advance. They say since their costumers are mainly foreigners who live here for a short time, all they have in their files is furnished, that's why I should pay some commission first, the commission in total is %50 of the rent. I wonder if any one knows of any other agency which might be more helpful. Thank you!

provide more detail on what you are looking for, and some people might point y ou in the right direction, mabey some info of what your doing in santiago....

People, those company names, for better or worse, are off limits on this forum. It is in the TOS agreement that you signed up for on the forum, as they directly providing services that we do. Not providing advertising, or even general discussion of them.

I never said that it's the ONLY way to get an apartment here. But...I was trying to make a point, that for those people who don't have all those requisite items it can be tricky finding the right place. He said he specifically wanted an unfurnished* apartment, which means that the usual furnished apartment brokers don't apply. Of course he can find other ways of renting an apartment with someone who doesnt require all that stuff, but would you honestly recommend that? I know I wouldn't because I'm sure that my money would disappear and somehow I'd get scewed in the end. Just telling him to be cautious is all!

Has a Chilean owner ever paid back a deposit?

Not to be cynical or anything!

dmwbmw2 wrote:Has a Chilean owner ever paid back a deposit?

Not to be cynical or anything!

Yes. If you must know.

fadgaget wrote:Oh my goodness!! Please please tread this process carefully! I would never pay a commission to anyone to find me an apartment. Generally, the requirements to rent an apartment is the same everywhere in Santiago. You need to show a copy of your work contract (with at least a year under your belt), your last 3 paychecks (boletas/sueldo liquidos), make at least 3 times the price of the rental, a copy of your cedula and an aval (which is a co-signer who is Chilean that has the same documents). Oh! and just so you know, I've lived in Santiago for a little over 2 years and am from the US. if you have any other questions, just let me know

Greetings all. My very first post on this board....

So if you need all those items in order to rent an apartment, where would someone live when they first get to Chile?

I read in another post that you don't need all that to get an apt. but if that's the "official" policy, what gives? Where would you be expected to live?

Finnthecelt wrote:

fadgaget wrote:Oh my goodness!! Please please tread this process carefully! I would never pay a commission to anyone to find me an apartment. Generally, the requirements to rent an apartment is the same everywhere in Santiago. You need to show a copy of your work contract (with at least a year under your belt), your last 3 paychecks (boletas/sueldo liquidos), make at least 3 times the price of the rental, a copy of your cedula and an aval (which is a co-signer who is Chilean that has the same documents). Oh! and just so you know, I've lived in Santiago for a little over 2 years and am from the US. if you have any other questions, just let me know

Greetings all. My very first post on this board....

So if you need all those items in order to rent an apartment, where would someone live when they first get to Chile?

I read in another post that you don't need all that to get an apt. but if that's the "official" policy, what gives? Where would you be expected to live?

there is no oficial policy, but if you were a typical chilean looking for a typical apartment that is what is expected, but its not the only way to get an apartment, its not like you wont find anywhere to live, its just it is not the easyest task for some people, others its very easy!, this is how chile is! every week there are more and more apartments setup targeting "gringos",

morningstar wrote:Thanks for all replies. Here is what I like to find, an unfurnished 1-bed room apartment in Providencia, with a parking space, hopefully facing north or east. I would like to pay for everything (rent, parking space and gastos comunes) 300.000 pesos, don't know yet if this amount sounds possible though since I like modern well-styled ones. Moreover, since I am new in Chile, it makes me worried to deal with only owners and not a third party like an agency. First, I'm a woman and am not sure if it's safe to check an apartment only by myself and second, what if the owner asks me to leave the apartment before the due date of the contract for some irrational reasons or what if he/she doesn't pay me back the deposit or bla bla bla. I know what I said might seem very pessimistic to some of you but I'm coming from a very safe city where you can leave your car unlocked in a street, and now I keep hearing all crazy things about Santiago...

Here are some properties in Providencia. Also look at Nunoa, La Reina.... You might have to give up square footage to get all you want. Santiago is an expensive city.

http://www.propiedades.emol.com/Buscado ... rovidencia

As to your search, do not lose hope. It can be done and others here on this board have been able to successfully rent in your circumstances. I have to say though that if you do not know the language then some type of agency might be necessary. At the very least find a Chilean friend to go with you, give you a rundown on the different comunas and their pluses and minuses, etc. Also know that within each comuna there are aereas to be careful of.

I have to say as someone with modest revenue property holdings in Canada that it is not just a Chilean thing to not readily rent to people without a resident visa/job. It would never occur to me to rent to someone who has no job in Canada, has no credit history that I can check, and is here on a tourist Visa. Even if they give me first and last month's rent. I can do 1000 dollars damage in 5 minutes and 10,000 in less. I know that here wage garnishment orders are not enforceable if the person moves out of province never mind out of country. A hotel after all can get your credit card and charge that if you do damage. most landlords cannot.