How to Rent an Apartment in Georgia Safely
Verify the owner and property, review the lease and deposit, document handover and check apartment red flags in Tbilisi or Batumi before paying.
Before paying
- View the exact property, confirm the owner or authorised representative, and compare the public-registry details with the contract party.
- Write the rent, currency, payment date, deposit return conditions, utilities, repair duties, notice period, guest/pet rules and inventory into the agreement.
- Do not treat a social-media profile, an agent’s urgency or a screenshot of ownership as verification.
City-specific checks
- In Batumi, inspect ventilation, mould risk, heating and winter conditions; in Tbilisi, test commute time and building access at the hours you will use them.
- Record meter readings and the condition of every room at handover. Keep payment evidence and written communication.
Safe transaction sequence
- View the exact apartment, identify the property, verify the owner or representative, agree the lease and handover record, sign, and only then pay the deposit and rent.
- Make the payment recipient and purpose match the written agreement, and keep the signed documents and payment evidence.
Contract checklist
- Identify the property, owner, tenant, term, payment currency and due date unambiguously.
- Record deposit deductions, early termination, notice, repairs, utilities, pets, guests and inventory in writing.
- Agree how notices are delivered and keep signed copies, payment records, photos and meter readings.
Tbilisi and Batumi apartment checks
- In Tbilisi, test the real commute, slope, lift, access, water pressure and heating at the address.
- In Batumi, inspect ventilation, damp or mould traces, heating, conditions after rain and whether the lease changes in the high season.
- In either city, test internet inside the exact apartment and document keys, defects and meter readings at handover.
Walk away when
- The exact property or owner cannot be verified, payment is demanded before a viewing, or the contract party differs without clear authority.
- Material promises exist only in chat and the landlord will not add them to the agreement.
- Heating, ventilation, damp, water pressure, access or internet cannot be tested.
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