Renting out your home, in Caltanissetta and across Italy

← All guides

An empty home costs money: IMU property tax, service charges, maintenance — and meanwhile it earns nothing. Renting it out well is the way to turn it into an income, but “well” is the key word: the right rent, the right contract and above all a reliable tenant make the difference between a steady income and years of worry.

How much your property can earn

As with a sale, the rent is estimated on real data: what is being rented in the area, at what price and how quickly. A rent that is out of line with the market leaves the property empty for months (and every empty month costs more than a small reduction); the right rent brings in more applicants and lets you choose your tenant instead of settling. The condition of the property matters too, as does the choice between unfurnished and furnished: furnished homes often rent faster — in Caltanissetta as elsewhere — especially to people moving for work or study.

The right contract (4+4, 3+2, transitorio)

There is no “standard” contract: there is the one that suits your situation.

• 4+4 (open-market rent) — the classic: full freedom on the rent, long duration;
• 3+2 (agreed rent, canone concordato) — rent within the limits set by local agreements, in exchange for tax benefits that are often very attractive;
• transitional (transitorio) — for documented temporary needs (work, study), from 1 to 18 months;
• commercial use — different rules and durations apply to shops, offices and workshops (6+6).

We explain the pros and cons of each one for your specific case and draw up a properly written contract — not a form downloaded off the internet.

Cedolare secca (flat rental tax) or IRPEF?

On residential rental income you can choose between ordinary income tax (IRPEF) and the cedolare secca, a flat-rate rental tax that replaces IRPEF, local surtaxes, registration tax and stamp duty. In many cases it is the better option — and with the agreed rent (canone concordato) the rate is lower still. It depends, though, on your income and your circumstances: we do the maths together before you sign, so you choose with the numbers in front of you.

The right tenant is worth more than a high rent

This is the most delicate part of all. A higher rent with the wrong tenant is a bad deal: unpaid rent, a neglected property, lengthy proceedings. That is why we check first: employment and income situation, references, whether the rent is sustainable, any additional guarantees (guarantor, deposit, insurance policies). Better to say no at the start than to chase rent payments for years.

Formalities: APE (energy certificate), registration, notifications

• APE (energy performance certificate) — required for renting out too: it is drawn up by our qualified surveyor;
• registering the contract with the Italian Revenue Agency (Agenzia delle Entrate) within 30 days — one of the services we handle directly, together with all the related formalities;
• handover report with photos and meter readings: the best way to avoid arguments when the keys come back;
• transfer of the utility contracts and the required notifications.

And after signing? Management

Renting does not end with the signature: there is rent to monitor, ISTAT inflation adjustments, renewals, deadlines and, every now and then, a problem to sort out. If you would rather not think about it, our rental management service takes care of it for you: you collect the rent, we handle the rest.

The most common mistakes

• renting to “whoever turns up” without checking income and references;
• verbal agreements or unregistered contracts: no legal protection, and penalties on the way;
• an out-of-market rent that leaves the home empty for months;
• no handover report: when the keys come back it is your word against theirs;
• picking the tax regime at random, without doing the maths.

A guide by the team at Danesi Immobiliare — FIAIP-certified estate agents, in Caltanissetta since 2008.