How to be at Peace with Rent Fees

Rent fees in the Philippines are skyrocketing high lately, especially in posh districts. There are units in regular vicinities which are reasonably priced, and there are poor units with mismatching rental fees.

How to get over rent fee payments in this country?

Read this.

The unit has been rented and it’s found out too late that it stinks. Units on display often look perfect—until one pays the down payment and starts living in it. The awful discoveries pop up one by one; the sink’s clogged, the roof and the pipes leak, the celing’s a mouse condo, and water comes in the living from somewhere. And the neighbor’s a rock concert queen, besides. So, how does one continue to pay rent with peace with this scenario?

Stay in the apartment unit for 2 to 3 months—that’s the usual advance down payment rent in the country. If the monthly rent is P5,000, the advance is P10,000. So the total for the first 3 months is P15,000. It’s often non refundable. Use up the three-month rent. Get used to the environment for a while. Stay out most of the time. Go on a vacation spree at a friend’s studio. Most important, start scouting for a new unit. Learn from the first experience. Check the “hidden secrets” of every apartment units.

If the apartment unit is okay but the rent is a bit too much, start preparing the rent fee on day one after paying the recent one. Say, the advances have been paid yesterday and one moves in today. Start saving for next month’s rent. If one’s paycheck comes every week, save money for rent each week. If per 15th and 30th of the month, then save for rent accordingly. It’s more tolerable to do this than deduct the whole rent fee outright from a monthly paycheck, or scour for money to pay the whole thing at the time of collection. This gradual saving for rent fee makes the payment seem lighter and less stressful—that’s peace for the tenant.

If the apartment unit’s good enough but the rent seems incompatible with unit quality, a discount may be asked the owner. Discounts or “tawad” applies to many facets of life in the country. Owners are apt to understand it and, with some gentle prodding, may grant some.

An apartment unit rent fee need not add pressure to one’s budgeting challenges. There are ways of preparing rent payments with ease and tranquility.