7 Special Questions To Ask Your Housing Provider Before You Sign On The Dotted Line
/The grown-up checklist that saves your budget, your nerves, and your Erasmus year.
Let’s be honest: housing in Athens can be a circus.
Pretty photos. “Five minutes from the metro.” “All-inclusive.”
And then boom… your first month ends with a bill that reads like a ransom note.
This guide is your shield. Seven questions. Seven filters.
Ask them before you sign and you’ll dodge the “gotchas” that drain cash and joy.
Gentle heads-up: if at any point you want an adult in the room, RoomsAthens runs 24/7 support, a designated maintenance team for anything that beeps, leaks, or sparks, and an in-house legal team that speaks fluent “Greek bureaucracy.” Ping us, we’ll save you from drama.
Question 1: “What exactly is included in the monthly price, down to the last euro?”
Why this matters: “All-inclusive” is the most abused phrase in student housing.
Sometimes it means water + Wi-Fi only.
Sometimes electricity is “estimated.” Sometimes there’s a cleaning fee hiding behind the curtains.
What a good answer sounds like:
Rent: €X (final, no agency fee)
Electricity: Included up to €Y/month or metered (with kWh price and how overages are split)
Water: Included
Internet: Included (with speed, e.g., 100–200 Mbps)
Cleaning: X times per month or move-out only
Other charges: None (or list them clearly)
Red flags: “It depends,” “We’ll see after the first bill,” or “seasonal adjustment.”
Step-by-step mini-script:
“Please send a one-line item breakdown of monthly costs.”
“Is there an electricity cap? If yes, how many kWh or euros?”
“Are there any extra fees: cleaning, renewal, key, agency, ‘administration’?”
“Confirm final amount due each month assuming normal usage.”
Example (good):
“€450 all-in, includes water, internet, cleaning twice a month, and electricity up to €70/month. Overages are split equally among tenants at actual cost (we share the bill each month). No agency fees.”
Want this level of clarity instantly?
roomsAthens quotes final monthly prices up front.
No ghost fees. No seasonal “surprises.” Message us and we’ll send you a transparent quote.
Question 2: “Will I get a legal, registered lease and when?”
Why this matters: In Greece, an official lease isn’t paperwork, it’s power. You’ll need it for visa/residence things, bank questions, and for not being pushed around.
What a good answer sounds like:
“Yes, we issue a registered lease and you’ll receive it before move-in.”
“You’ll get a copy with the lease number and terms.”
“Any deposit and rent transfers appear on receipts.”
Red flags: “We don’t do leases for short stays,” “We only do ‘private agreements’,” “We’ll see later.”
Step-by-step mini-script:
“Please send me a sample lease with dates, address, and all inclusions.”
“Confirm if it is registered and when.”
“List termination, renewal, and deposit return rules.”
Example (bad):
“We just do a handshake and a WhatsApp message.” Translation: you have zero leverage.
roomsAthens issues proper, Greek-recognized leases for all Erasmus tenants. Our legal team makes sure you’re covered, no stress, no question marks.
Question 3: “What’s the deposit policy, and what exact conditions trigger deductions?”
Why this matters: You want your deposit back. Many don’t get it because the rules were “vibe-based.”
What a good answer sounds like:
“Deposit = €X. Returned within Y days after checkout.”
“Deductions only for documented damage or unpaid utilities (with bills).”
“We provide a move-in inventory with photos; same for move-out.”
Red flags: “We’ll see at the end,” “Cleaning fee is taken from deposit no matter what,” “We never refund deposits” (yes, people say that).
Step-by-step mini-script:
“Send the deposit amount, return timeline, and deduction rules in writing.”
“Confirm move-in inventory with photos.”
“Confirm how final utilities are calculated and proven.”
Example (great):
“Deposit €450. Return within 20-90 business days post move-out once final utilities arrive. We share the bills. Only documented damage or unpaid balances are deducted.”
We built our deposit process to be adult-proof, photos in, photos out, bills shared. Need help comparing another offer? Send it, roomsAthens will sanity-check it for free.
Question 4: “How does electricity work: cap, meter, or roulette?”
Why this matters: Summer AC + winter heating = real money. If you don’t know the rules, you’ll learn with your bank balance.
What a good answer includes:
Is there a cap? (e.g., €60–€80 per room/month)
Or is it metered? (share actual bill among tenants)
How do they share bills and show proof? (screenshots/invoices each month)
What about common areas vs. private rooms?
Red flags: No bill sharing, vague math, “we’ll estimate.”
Step-by-step mini-script:
“Please outline cap vs. metered and expected usage.”
“If metered, confirm we’ll see official bills monthly.”
“If capped, what happens when we exceed the cap?”
Mini-math example:
Cap: €70/person/month. Over 3 months of summer, you spend €65/€75/€80. You’d pay €0 + €5 + €10 = €15 extra total.
Metered: Total bill €240; 3 tenants → €80 each (show bill).
At roomsAthens, you’ll always know the rule before you plug in the AC. We share bills transparently and keep caps sane.
Question 5: “Who fixes stuff and how fast?” (Maintenance SLA, not fairy tales)
Why this matters: Light goes out. Washing machine dies. Wi-Fi hiccups the night before a deadline. Who shows up? When? With what?
What a real answer sounds like:
“We have a designated maintenance team.”
“Response within 24 hours, urgent issues same day.”
“We track via ticket/WhatsApp, send updates, and confirm resolution.”
“Appliances are repaired or replaced based on warranty and cost.”
Red flags: “Call the owner,” “We’ll see next week,” “Just YouTube it.”
Step-by-step mini-script:
“What’s the maintenance request process?”
“What’s the standard response time for urgent vs normal issues?”
“Who covers costs for appliance failures or leaks?”
Example (excellent):
“Message the support chat 24/7. Emergencies same-day; routine within 48 hours. We send a tech, log the fix, and follow up.”
This is where roomsAthens shines: 24/7 support and real technicians, not a landlord’s cousin with a screwdriver.
Question 6: “What are the house rules: guests, noise, cleaning, and parties?”
Why this matters: You want fun, not fines or feuds. Clear rules prevent roommate wars and awkward “we need to talk” moments.
What a good answer covers:
Guest policy (how many, how often, overnights)
Quiet hours (typical in Athens: late nights respected on weekdays)
Cleaning (common areas weekly? tenant rotation?)
No-party policy (most co-living prohibits parties-full stop)
Red flags: No rules, or rules that change weekly depending on mood.
Step-by-step mini-script:
“Please send the house rules document.”
“How often are common areas cleaned?”
“How are disputes handled, who mediates?”
Example (clear):
“Common areas cleaned weekly. Quiet hours 23:00–08:00. Guests allowed, but no parties. Disputes escalate to support team.”
We enforce no-party rules, keep common areas clean, and step in fast when roommates clash, so you can live, study, and sleep like a human.
Question 7: “What happens if plans change: extensions, early exits, or subletting?”
Why this matters: Erasmus life moves. You might extend, shorten, or travel. Flexibility beats panic.
What a grown-up answer includes:
Extension rules and notice period
Early termination (fee? find a replacement? notice window?)
Subletting or tenant swap allowed? Under what conditions?
Deposit impact if you leave early
Red flags: “No changes, ever,” or “We’ll decide later.”
Step-by-step mini-script:
“If I need to extend, what’s the process and rate?”
“If I must leave early, what’s the fee or replacement process?”
“Can I transfer the room to another Erasmus student with approval?”
Example (fair):
“60-day notice. Early exit fee equals one month, or you can replace yourself with a qualified student (we help). Deposit returned per normal rules.”
We’re flexible within reason. Need to extend or swap? roomsAthens helps you land softly, no drama, no dark arts.
Bonus: The 10-Minute Verification Checklist
Use this before you sign anything.
Final monthly amount in writing (rent + utilities clarity)
Registered lease sample provided
Deposit amount, return timeline, deduction rules
Electricity: cap vs metered, with proof method
Maintenance: response times and process
House rules: guests, quiet hours, cleaning, no parties
Flexibility: extensions, early exit, replacements
Move-in inventory with photos
Wi-Fi speed and who to contact if it dies
Contact channel (24/7 support? single number? chat?)
If the provider can’t tick these in 10 minutes, you have your answer.
How to Ask Without Sounding Like a Lawyer (Copy-Paste Script)
“Hey! Before I confirm, could you please send: • A one-line price breakdown (rent + included utilities + any caps) • A sample registered lease • Deposit rules and return timeline • How electricity is handled (cap or metered, proof) • Your maintenance process + response times • House rules (guests/quiet hours/cleaning/no parties) • Policies for extension/early exit/tenant swap Thanks! I just want to lock everything in clearly so we don’t waste time later.”
Providers who are professional will love this. Amateurs will ghost you. That’s a win either way.
Final Word (and a Lifeline)
Athens is magic: sunsets in Thissio, Monastiraki chaos, late coffees that turn into friendships. Don’t let rotten housing steal that from you.
Ask the seven questions. Get the answers in writing. Sign like a grown-up.
And if you want to skip the audition and get straight to the good part: roomsAthens does 24/7 support, has a designated maintenance team, and an in-house legal team that keeps your lease legit and your deposit safe.
Send us your dates and budget, we’ll reply with a final price and options that actually match reality.
Ready to live well (not just “get by”)?
Message the RoomsAthens team. We’ll keep your Erasmus year fun, affordable, and gloriously drama-free.
