citygirl said:
remember when looking at apts is that you will not be able to rent an unfurnished apt at local rates without a guarantia.
Sockhopper said:
I'm confused or misunderstand. Peso rental rates for 2-year leases are shown in estate agents' windows. I thought that everyone needed a guarantia to rent and that the property which served as that guarantee had to be one in Argentina.
That is true. That's what citygirl pointed out. Even more to the point, the property serving for the
garantía will usually be required to be a property in CABA or at least very close by.
Sockhopper said:
Separately, now that new currency controls include one making it mandatory by law for rental contracts to be in pesos and not $US, how can a rental agent charge someone without a DNI yet more than what he advertises, and why would a prospective tenant agree before signing to pay more? That tenant would only have to report that agent to AFIP if the agent or owner demanded a higher rent (or worse, asked him to pay in $US cash), no?
I don't believe there is any such law. There have been various proposals, but none has been approved. Contracts are legal in any currency, although it would be stupid for an owner to insist on payment in physical dollars knowing that they are impossible to obtain here. So a lease could specify a rental amount in USD, to be paid in pesos at the equivalent [official
venta] exchange rate. With the emerging blue exchange market, I wouldn't be surprised to see contracts specify payment in pesos at the official rate + X% or, if the blue market becomes official, at that rate.
Sockhopper said:
If I'm wrong, please tell me how much more than "local rates" an agent or owner try to get, say as a percentage of the advertised rental rate.
The issue here is the difference between a temporary lease and a standard 2-year lease. Most
inmobiliarias advertise both types of rentals, and occasionally an apartment may be offered either for temporary or standard rental, in which case the temporary rental rate will be higher than the standard rate.
A temporary rental typically covers an apartment with furnishings, for which the landlord pays basic services, taxes, and utilities. Such rentals are intended for tourists.
A standard 2-year lease typically requires a
garantia to protect the lessor from failure to pay, squatters, etc. Such leases are usually for unfurnished apartments, and the lessee pays utilities, taxes, and services in addition to the rental fee. (Note that "unfurnished" usually includes some kitchen cabinets and a stove but no refrigerator.)
That's not to say that a tourist without legal residency in Argentina cannot sign a standard 2-year lease. Since few tourists own or have access to property that can be used to back a
garantía, it's the rare that a tourist can obtain a
garantía. Without the
garantía, a landlord may still rent an unfurnished apartment on a 2-year contract, but to compensate for the additional risk of renting without a
garantía, the lessor will certainly require either a higher rental amount, prepayment of rent, a very large deposit, or some combination of the three.
