Renting a furnished apartment in Naples for 3 to 12 months, what to ask before you sign

A furnished apartment for a few months in Naples is chosen with a list of questions, not with the photos. The transitional lease runs from 1 to 18 months and only holds if the temporary reason is written down and documented, so that is the first thing to check, before the rent.

What contract do you need for 3 to 12 months?

You need a transitional lease, the contratto di locazione transitoria set out in article 5 of Law 431 of 1998, which runs from 1 to 18 months.

The contract has to state the temporary reason, such as a work assignment or the renovation of your own home, and come with a document that proves it. Under 30 days a short stay let applies instead, and the standard 4+4 year lease is not designed for people staying a few months.

Which documents will you be asked for?

Usually ID, an Italian tax code and proof of the temporary need.

The proof can be an assignment letter, an employment contract or the permits for the house being renovated. If a company signs, it also needs its registration extract. At Vico Santa Maria a Cappella Vecchia 8b those are the documents asked for, and Naples residency is not required.

What should the rent include?

You should know, item by item, what the rent covers: utilities, internet, cleaning, linen, air conditioning, building charges.

A furnished flat without services often leaves you to put the utilities in your name, and over a few months that means activations, transfers and bills to chase. In Chiaia, at Vico Santa Maria a Cappella Vecchia 8b, the rent covers electricity, water, gas and Wi-Fi with no contracts to take over, two full cleans a week, a weekly change of bed linen, air conditioning, the gym and the steam room.

Who registers the contract?

Ask in writing who handles registration, because an Italian lease has to be registered and a signature alone is not enough.

At Vico Santa Maria a Cappella Vecchia 8b the owner takes care of registration. The lease can be in a private name or a company’s, and you deal directly with the owner, with no agency in between.

What should you ask about deposit, notice and extensions?

These are the terms that vary most from one landlord to the next, so ask early and get them written into the contract.

Ask how much the deposit is and when it comes back, how much notice you need to give if the assignment ends early, and how an extension works if the job runs longer. A verbal answer is not enough: if it is not in the contract, it does not count when there is a disagreement.

How do you view a flat while you are still in another city?

By video call, and it is worth asking for one even when the landlord has already sent photos.

On the call, ask to see the bathroom, the kitchen, the windows and the place you would work, and ask them to run the hot water. At Vico Santa Maria a Cappella Vecchia 8b viewings are by appointment, Saturdays included, in person or by video call, with an answer within 24 hours.

How do you tell whether a listing is reliable?

It is reliable when you can see the flat, speak to the person letting it and read the contract before any money changes hands.

Be wary of anyone asking for a payment to hold the flat without a viewing or a draft contract. Dealing directly with the owner, you know who signs and who answers during the stay.

What does a furnished serviced apartment in Chiaia cost for 3, 6 or 12 months?

In Chiaia, at Vico Santa Maria a Cappella Vecchia 8b, the all inclusive rent runs from 4,000 to 7,000 euro a month between 3 and 12 months.

• Apartment 1, 95 sqm, 6 people: 7,000 euro a month on 3 months, 6,500 on 6, 6,000 on 12
• Apartments 2 and 4, 60 sqm, and Apartment 3, 70 sqm, 4 people: 6,000, 5,500 and 5,000 euro
• Apartment 5, 45 sqm, 2 people: 5,000, 4,500 and 4,000 euro

On 18 months the rent drops further, down to 3,750 euro for Apartment 5. Send the request from the Mid-term rentals page with the length, headcount and reason for the stay.