Phuket Rental Guide

Since Phuket first became popular as a holiday destination, the accommodation development projects have been booming, and the island houses an extensive amount of property for rent. It’s easy to rent a home in Phuket, with options ranging from simple, unfurnished two or three-bedroom houses to fully-furnished two or three-floor luxury villas with swimming pool and maid’s quarters for hundreds of thousands of baht. While searching a property to rent in Phuket, you will need to consider size of the property and the number of rooms that you need for yourself and your family. Advance bookings are advisable for high and peak seasons and these should be made several months in advance. Be sure to also check out our Phuket Guide and Phuket Location Guide.

Why Rent?

While a hotel room is usually a single bedroom with a bathroom, having your own place offers you a lot more freedom. You can have a living area, dining area, kitchen, bathrooms, bedrooms and a garden. The extra living space gives you the opportunity to enjoy a stay in surroundings that are spacious and comfortable as opposed to cramped and restrictive. Another positive aspect of renting a house is the privacy provided to residents. While hotels are a bustling mix of numerous guests and hotel employees surrounded by lobby, corridors, restaurants and more, a holiday rental by nature is much more secluded and private. You can also get much better value accommodation when renting a private house, especially if you are renting for a month or longer!

Your Requirements

Before you being your search, you should figure out what requirements you have. How many bedrooms? Apartment or villa? Facilities? Garden? Internet? Parking? Furnished? Length of stay? Maid service? Transport? Location? Make a list of the things that are important to you, so that is is easier to search for your property, and you can compare them. You will need to consider size of the property and the number of rooms that you need for yourself and your family.

Location

The single most important factor to consider when you are going to rent, is location - It is important that you prioritize what's important to you before starting your search. You may be looking for a place close to schools and shopping malls, or maybe close to your business. Perhaps you want to be in walking distance to the beach? Do you need a central location? Do you want to live in quiet surroundings, or do you want to be in the middle of the bustle? Will you have a car or bike to be able to take you around? You may find that properties outside the main tourist areas provide better value without sacrificing the facilities in the surrounding area. See our Phuket Location Guide for more info:
Phuket Location Guide →

Cost

When renting a property, remember that you don't just have to pay rent – you'll have bills and other expenses as well. Search for those properties that fit within your budget, and keep additional costs in mind. Some property owners will list their daily or weekly prices, as well as their lowest price (often for low season) - Make sure sure to request a price for the specific time period you will be renting, as well as any additional costs involved. Keep in mind, there are often seasonal price fluctuations in rental rates, and the best deal are often made outside the high season. Through the peak season, rental rates are often doubled because of the high demand!

Long-term Rentals
In most cases, the longer you stay the better a monthly price you'll be able to negotiate. Of course, you may be required to commit to a certain period before you can take advantage of favorable rates long-term rates. Remember to ask for a discount if you are renting for more than a year!

Deposit
Don't forget to ask what sort of security deposit you'll be required to pay. In general, this can be anything up to 3 months rent, and is refunded when you depart, unless there are any damages. For long-term rentals where you've been required to pay a deposit, be sure to request an inventory from the landlord. Make sure that you go through the inventory as soon as you move in, as this will help you to inspect the property before you leave in the company of your landlord. Both you and your landlord should sign the inventory, and this extra effort will ensure there are no disputes when you're leaving over damages.

Additional Tips

• Call the owner or agent
  A quick phone call to the owner or agent can reassure you by confirming the quality and identity. You should find the number on the property overview page, or it can be requested by e-mail. Make sure you note any time differences though as a person in Thailand may not wish to talk in the middle of the night!
• Consider details of the Owner or Agent
  Make sure to look up about the property owner or agent, so to make sure who you are dealing with. Do they have a website? Are they professional? Do they have an address?
• Sign a Contract
  Make sure to get a contract with details of the terms and conditions of the rental property and the payment policies. This will help in avoiding any disputes.
• Safe Payments
  When paying deposit for your rental, ask if they accept credit card, as this provides the best protection. Be suspicious if they ask to pay the money to a another person, or to a bank account in an obscure country. Make sure to get receipts for all payments and deposits you make.
• Save your Correspondence
  Keep a record of all of your e-mail correspondence with the owner or agent so that you can refer back to this at any given time.
• Property Enquirements
  When enquiring for a rental, make sure to provide rental period, and your contact details so that agents and owners can get back to you promptly and effectively.
• Owner Response
  If an owner or agent has not replied to your email within 3-5 days then look for a phone number on their overview page and try calling them. It may also be worth checking your junk e-mail folder, just in case any response has got caught in there (this does happen from time to time). If you still get no response, we would then suggest looking for other property and avoiding this specific owner/agent.