Slovaks seem less willing to rent their properties to foreigners, even though foreigners are often willing to pay more for accommodation than Slovak tenants. (source: Pexels)
A foreigner looking for a flat in Slovakia may not have as much luck as local people.
Although demand for properties on the Slovak rental market among Ukrainian people has increased since the war in Ukraine began, Slovak property owners prefer renting their places to Slovaks, a survey by real estate agency Bosen Group suggests. In addition to Ukrainians, people from Romania, Serbia, Georgia and Kyrgyzstan have also become more interested in flat rentals.
It’s not just the language barrier that deters some Slovaks from renting their flats to foreigners.
“Of course, it’s also a concern about the enforceability of the law against foreigners, which is why Slovaks prefer Slovaks with permanent residence in Slovakia as tenants,” Bosen Malacky Director Ján Vaškor told the SITA newswire.
Some fear that their property will be damaged by tenants or their pets.
Vaškor noted that Slovaks may also worry that foreigners are more likely to be laid off or decide to quit their jobs without announcing this to the landlord, and then leave the flat without paying the rent. In this regard, Slovak people appear to be more trusted.
Boom in Malacky
According to the survey, Bratislava Region is experiencing a boom in terms of foreigners looking for long-term housing. They are often interested in one-bedroom and two-bedroom flats.
“Increased demand for rental housing from foreigners has been recorded mainly in Bratislava and in Malacky," said Vaškor, who added that demand among people seeking rented housing had grown 50 percent in Bratislava, and up to 70 percent in Malacky.
This is mainly due to the rising number of foreign workers, prompted by labour shortages in some parts of the country.
18 percent
Foreigners are often willing to pay more for a flat. Still, they represent only a small minority of renters who sign leases.
“Last year, only around 18 percent of the total number of our properties were rented to foreign customers,” said Bosen Group founder Michal Janči.
Bosen Group says that landlords can reduce the risks by checking whether the potential tenant is registered as a debtor, asking for a reference from their previous landlord, and by purchasing insurance.
