What to expect before moving to Milan, Italy
Milan is a vibrant international city in the north of Italy, combining traditional italian leisure with modern day metropolitan lifestyle. Milan polarizes interesting people from all around Italy and the world. You will find students, financiers, models, fashion designers and artists in any kind of corner of Milan. Milan becomes more and more fascinating the longer you will live in it. Start your journey now Milan - get your new home: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Italy is a modern, free and democratic country which will allow you to easily explore one of the richest cultures on earth. You will be able to find mountains, snow, lavish countryside, beaches and seaside, fantastic lakes, idyllic islands and centuries old cities within hours, all whilst indulging in what most likely the most famous cuisine in the world.
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Italy has an established centuries old culture. People are friendly, welcoming and curious about other cultures. Italy is a developed and open country, however English language is still not always perfectly spoken and understood, especially in the smaller cities and rural areas. If you plan to live in Italy, we recommend studying Italian. It will be a gift for you for a lifetime, and the local people will appreciate the effort and will help you out all the time! Just watch out, the strongest opinions evolve around grandma's recipes and football teams.
Important things to know before moving to Milan, Italy
How to arrive to Milan by Car, Train or Plane?
In order to arrive to Milan by car, we recommend using Google Maps or Waze as traffic jams coming into the city are fairly common. If you can, avoid the morning hours and the evening hours as during those times Milan has rush hour. The highways have a toll that you can pay at the tollbooth that will come up automatically on your route.
Within the city of Milan is a limitation for polluting cars called Area C. If you have an electric vehicle you can enter for free, alternatively you must pay 5euro entrance fee. You can pay on the following: https://areac.atm-mi.it/Areac/iweb/Purchase.aspx
Parking the car is another critical point. Yellow lines are for residence, you can not park your car there and you will be fined and might be toed, you can apply for residency pass with the City of Milan. Blue lines are paid parking, you can buy parking tickets at the parking meter close by, or by scratch card that you can buy at any Tabacchi store. Furthermore you can pay via the following website: https://www.comune.milano.it/aree-tematiche/mobilita/sosta/sosta-regolamentata-non-residenziale. If there are white lines, you can park your car without any limitation.
Milan has 3 different train companies and several main train stations.
Train Companies:
Trenitalia is the national carrier, it has the most connections, it's trains also enter bordering countries. The high speed trains all have AC, Wifi and fairly high amount of comfort, and they will take across the country significantly faster than a car.
Italo is a fast train company that connects the major cities of Italy by high speed train. For instance the travel time from Milan to Bologna is 1 hour, instead of 2 and a half hours by car.
Trenord is the regional train company connecting the metropolitan area. You will be using it to get to Malpensa airport and your day trip to Como. The regional trains are very economically priced, and will bring you to the smaller destinations. You must stamp your ticket at the station before entering the train.
Overall an important point to make is trains will leave on time. You will need buy a ticket before boarding a train and stamping it in case needed before boarding a train.
Milan has 3 different airports:
Malpensa Airport: The main international hub where most planes from abroad arrive to. From Malpensa we suggest to take the Malpensa Express (train service) which takes you either to Cadorna in 35 minutes and Milano Centrale in 60 minutes. The trains run every half hour, and the train station is right next to the airport, you just no to follow the signs. Depending on where you will live in Milan, we suggest to take the train either to Cadorna Metro station or Centrale Metro Station. There is also a shuttle bus, which will take you to Centrale in about 1 hour, the cost is lower. You can also take a taxi, the fare is around 85 euro from the airport to the city centre.
Bergamo Airport: Bergamo airport is a low cost airline hub located north east of Milan. The airport is smaller and easier to overlook, you reach it by bus in around 1 hour for low fare, the buses run very frequently, a popular supplier is Terravision. The fare by Taxi is around 85 euro from the airport to the city centre.
Linate Airport: Milan's City Airport, connecting Milan to most larger European cities as well as other Italien cities. You can reach Linate by Bus as well as Taxi. Depending on where you want to go in Milan the taxi will cost around 20 Euro.
Where to buy essentials in Italy?
Bed-linens and towels can be bought at the following chains:
- Esselunga
- Ikea
- Zara Home
- Kasanova
- Rinascente
Groceries in Milan can be bought at the following chains which are located all over town. Esselunga also does home deliveries.
- Esselunga
- PAM
- Coop
- Conad
- Lidl
- Carrefour
- Weekly markets
- Local stores
Drugs and medicines can be bought at pharmacies. For most stronger medicines you need a prescription. Over the counter drugs are sold freely. You can find a list of pharmacies here: https://www.farmaciediturno.org/comune.asp?cod=15146
You can identify them also on the street, market with a large green cross, and they are generally well spread across the city.
Alcohol can be bought at every supermarket and liquor stores. The legal drinking age for alcohol is 18 years old. Tobacco can be bought at the official licensed tobacco vender. They are called "Tabacchi", you can identify them with a large T marking. You can also purchase tobacco at self services stations across the city, you will need an italian ID card to use the machine. The legal age to purchase tobacco is 18 years.
Cleaning products for your apartment you will find in all the grocery stores mentioned above, as well as mini-markets that are all across town which are open till late.
If you are looking for home improvement goods you can find them at
- Leroy Merlin
- Bricocenter
Italy is world renown for it's furniture, from Minotti, B&B Italia to Boffi you can buy anything of your dreams, however most of those are not on a budget. More approachable stores are:
- IKEA
- Zara Home
- Mondo convenienza
- Maison du monde
In Milan there are food delivery providers, which delivery restaurant food to your home in usually around 15-30 minutes, depending on the restaurant.
Common providers for this are:
- Uber Eats
- Deliveroo
- Just Eat
- MyMenu
- Glovoo
There is also a service for fine dining
- Cosaporto
Post deliveries and packages are done by various suppliers in italy. The national carries is Poste Italiane which is generally market in yellow with several offices across the country. At this offices you can also pay your utility bills and apply for various government documentations. Registered mail is also sent via the national carries.
Private companies are as follows:
- DHL
- TNT
- FEDEX
- UPS
- Bartolini
For package deliveries we suggest to write the phone number as part of your name, in case no phone number field was given by the purchasing website.
As the example below:
Mario Rossi +39 333 333 3333
Via Mario Rossi
20139 Milano
Italia
There are plenty of banks across town, in accordance to your preferences and needs they will be able to assist you.
We suggest to use online banks, since you can activate the account from your home, the online banking is in english.
- N26
- Revolute
Tenant obligations in Italy
Tenants are responsible for ordinary repairs and maintenance of rented apartments. This means both carrying out small, everyday repairs and maintenance to the apartment, the appliances, and the installations; as well as taking good care of the apartment, the appliances, and the installations; and keeping them in a clean state.
Tenants are therefore responsible for repairs and maintenance which are due to normal use, or due to improper use and negligence. Any extraordinary repairs and maintenance that are needed are the responsibility of the landlord.
Some common kinds of ordinary repairs and maintenance that are the responsibility of the tenant are:
- Regular cleaning of the apartment: Should one choose to order cleaning services for the apartment, please make sure to use an official cleaning company, such as Helpling, that will be able to issue an invoice for the cleaning services.
- Using appliances and installations with due care, and accordingly with the manufacturers' instructions.
Example 1: using dishwasher detergent and dishwasher salt brands as recommended by the manufacturer of a dishwasher.
Example 2: carrying out the yearly maintenance of the waiter boiler, as described in the maintenance booklet of the water boiler. - Replacing furniture or items that have been damaged by the tenant or by third parties which have been invited to the apartment by the tenant.
Example: replacing shattered plates or glasses. - Repairing any damages to the apartment that have been caused by the tenant or by third parties which have been invited to the apartment by the tenant.
Example: repainting a wall that has suffered a large coffee stain. - Notifying the landlord immediately in case the apartment presents any need of extraordinary repairs and maintenance. Failure to notify the landlord in a timely manner of any repairs that must be made by the landlord will make the tenant responsible for the extent of the damage which may have been avoided had repairs been organised in a timely manner.
Should any assistance be required in understanding if a particular kind of repairs or maintenance is to be covered by the tenant, or the landlord, please contact us.
The tenant and any third parties invited to the apartment by the tenant must respect the rules and regulations of the building, and respect the neighbours of the apartment. The exact rules and regulations of the building will be delivered to the tenant at the signature of the rent contract. Some of the most common building rules are:
- No excessive noise between 10:00 PM - 6:00 AM.
- Garbage must be properly separated and disposed of in the correct containers.
- The common areas of the building, such as corridors, elevators, or courtyards, must be kept free of garbage or personal belongings, unless otherwise indicated. Some provisions for the storage of personal belongings in common areas may be made; such as the possibility to park bicycles in a building courtyard.
Failure to respect the building rules and regulations, if contested at least twice by registered mail to the tenant by the landlord or by neighbours, constitutes a violation of the rent contract and will allow the landlord to resolve the rent contract, forcing the tenant to vacate the apartment.
Rent payments must be done by the tenant punctually, so that the landlord receives the payment within the day specified in the rent contract.
Any bank charges, such as international bank transfer fees, must be covered by the tenant, so that landlord receives the correct full rent payments.
Please note that delays in rent payments constitute a a violation of the rent contract and will allow the landlord to resolve the rent contract, forcing the tenant to vacate the apartment.
The tenant must re-deliver the apartment to landlord, on the end date of the rent contract, in the same state in which the apartment has been delivered, allowing the next tenant to immediately enjoy the apartment to its fullest extent. This means that the apartment must be re-delivered:
- Fully cleaned.
Should one choose to order cleaning services for the final cleaning apartment, please make sure to use an official cleaning company, such as Helpling, that will be able to issue an invoice for the cleaning services. - Free of personal belongings of the tenant, and free of perishable items.
Example: the apartment must be free of items such as leftover toiletries, leftover food, used linen. - With all appliances and installations functioning and in a good state.
Please note that if the tenant does not leave the apartment in a good state, then the landlord may execute all necessary repairs, maintenance, or cleaning, and charge the damages or expenses to the security deposit. Please note that damages which are a result of normal use of the apartment, such as small scratches on the walls or floor, may not be charged to the security deposit. Only damages exceeding those that may be expected as a result of normal use may be charged to the security deposit.
How do I pay the intermediation fee?
Under each apartment you can find a button they let you fill a specific form in order to process your payment to Renting Milan.
Please input the amount in EUR and the payment title as indicated on the Payment Instructions document that you will receive from us.
After clicking the Pay With Card button; you will be directed to a secure payment procedure powered by Stripe.
How do i face technical issues?
If you want to make an appointment with a technician or request support
Tips and advice
In case the electricity, gas, or internet bill of your house is set in your name, then you will receive the bill by mail. The letter containing the bill will also contain a payment slip, known as a 'bolletta' in Italian. You may pay the payment slip at any office of the post office; any tabaccheria (tobacco shop); at some supermarkets; or if you have an account of an Italian bank, at an ATM of your Italian bank or through the online banking function of your Italian bank. Some payment slips may also be paid by bank transfer. If that is the case, you will find the full bank details directly on the payment slip.
Waste is separated between organic waste (brown bin), glass (green bin), paper waste (white bin), plastic and metal waste (yellow bag in a steel bin), and general waste (transparent bag in a steel bin). You will find the waste bins in the courtyard or basement of your building. Waste separation is obligatory in Italy, and failure to follow the rules may result in fines.
Please remember that keeping your house in a good, clean state is one of your duties as a tenant. If you are looking for someone to help you in cleaning your house, we offer cleaning services through our insured, professional cleaning partner who will be happy to help you clean your apartment. We offer both regular, weekly cleaning; and final cleaning in preparation for the move-out of your apartment.
If you are looking for someone to help you with your laundry, we suggest that you contact our partner Mamaclean. They offer a pick-up and delivery service for your laundry. You may order their services through their website: www.mamaclean.it
Se vuoi acquistare il servizio di pulizia o richiedere supporto tecnico
Go to the service pageHow can i cancel my contract?
Your stay in your apartment is governed by your rent contract. Your rent contract will most likely include the following:
- Minimum duration of stay: it is usually 12 months. During this period, you may not leave the apartment.
- Cancelation notice period: it is usually 3 months or 6 months. You must inform your landlord for-mally in advance if you wish you leave your apartment, with an advance notice of usually 3 or 6 months.
In order to respect your rent contract and avoid any financial losses, you will have to act in accord-ance with both of the clauses. We are here to help you with this. It is generally advisable to inform your landlord of your cancellation both in person and by formal notice, even if you have already discussed your cancellation informally.
We have outlined the most common cases of rent contract cancellations and what to usually ex-pect in each of the cases.
- Regular cancelation: you wish to cancel your rent contract with the appropriate advance formal no-tice (it is usually 3 months or 6 months). This is always possible if you know when you will be mov-ing out.
- Irregular cancelation: you wish to leave your apartment earlier then the contractual minimum stay or the contractual cancellation period. That is possible, however only if the landlord agrees to re-lease you from the rent contract. Generally, landlords tend to agree to release tenants from rent contract if an appropriate replacement tenant has been found to take over the rent contract. Rent-ing Milan can help you with that.
We will walk you through the process of cancelling your rent contract depending on your individual situation. We do not limit our cancelation service to existing customers, as we are interested in get-ting to know your landlord through the cancelation procedure, and extend our network of apart-ments. In the next step, you will need to fill out a form in order for us to organize your cancellation request. It is important that you understand that a cancellation request must be signed by you, and may not be delegated to us.
How do I move out?
When you are moving out, we will check the state of the apartment together with you and the landlord, just as was done when you were moving in. We strongly advise you to notify us of when you are moving out, so that we may be present as an independent third party in case there are any doubts about the state of the apartment. If there are any new damages present in the apartment, please notify us in advance, so that they may be addressed before the move-out meeting. Any new damages present in the apartment at the move-out meeting may affect the amount and speed of your security deposit reimbursement.
Schedule your meeting for your move out of your apartment at: moving out.
Address
Renting Italy S.r.l. Società a Socio Unico
Via Lodovico Montegani 14, 20141 Milan, Italy
VAT. N. IT10134660967
REA di Milan 2508180
paid in capital €10.000,00
Authorized Agency pursuant to Art. 2 L. n. 39/1989 and its subsequent modifications
Social
Indirizzo
Renting Italy S.r.l. Società a Socio Unico
Via Lodovico Montegani 14, 20141 Milano, Italy
P.Iva/C.F. 10134660967
REA di Milano 2508180
capitale sociale €10.000,00
Agenzia autorizzata secondo l'art. 2 L. n. 39/1989 e successive modifiche