What to Look for Before You Sign: The Zimbabwe Renter's Checklist

A property viewing is a performance. The landlord is performing confidence and reasonableness. The property is performing its best self — freshly swept, good natural light, the broken tap temporarily fixed. Your job is to see through the performance before you hand over a deposit.

This guide gives you the specific things to check, the questions to ask, and the red flags that should make you pause — or walk away.

Before You Even Visit

A few basic checks before you bother making the trip:

• Reverse the phone number. Search the contact number online. Scam listings do exist in Zimbabwe's rental market, and they typically involve asking for a deposit before a viewing. Legitimate landlords are happy to show the property first.
• Check the price against the suburb. If a 3-bedroom house in Borrowdale is listed for $200/month, something is wrong. Either the listing is fraudulent, the property has a serious problem, or the details are misrepresented. Cross-reference with comparable listings.
• Never pay a deposit before viewing. Full stop. No legitimate reason exists for this. Walk away from any landlord who insists on it.

At the Viewing: The Holy Trinity Checklist

Water

• Turn on every tap. Check water pressure and whether it runs hot.
• Ask specifically: borehole or municipal water? If borehole — is the pump electric or solar?
• Check the storage tanks (usually on the roof or in the back). Are they full? A full tank suggests the system is working. An empty tank in a property with a functioning borehole needs explanation.
• Ask when the property last had municipal water cut off and for how long.

Electricity

• Turn on every light switch. Check every plug socket with your phone charger.
• Ask what backup power is available — solar, generator, inverter, or none.
• If there is a generator: who covers the fuel? This is a significant recurring cost if load-shedding is heavy.
• If there is solar: how many hours does it typically cover during an outage? Does it handle the geyser (hot water heater)?
• Check the distribution board (fuse box). Old, corroded wiring is a fire hazard.

Security

• Test every lock — gate, front door, bedroom doors, windows. A lock that sticks or doesn't catch properly is not fit for purpose.
• Check the electric fence if there is one: is it in good repair? Has it been recently tested?
• Ask whether there is an armed response service on contract, and who the provider is.
• If there are burglar bars on windows, check that at least one window per room opens wide enough for emergency exit. This is a serious safety point.
• Ask the neighbours what the area is like at night. Do this. Landlords have interests; neighbours don't.

Structural Condition

The aesthetic stuff — paint, tiles, fittings — can be replaced. Structural problems are more serious. Look for:

• Damp patches or watermarks on ceilings and walls, particularly in corners. This indicates a roof leak or rising damp. It will get worse in the rainy season, not better.
• Cracks in walls. Hairline cracks are normal in older Zimbabwean properties. Wide cracks (finger-width or more), cracks that run diagonally from window or door corners, or cracks that go through the full depth of the wall are structural warning signs.
• The roof. If you can access the ceiling or attic, check for light coming through — it means there are gaps in the roofing tiles. Rain will follow.
• Floors. Hollow-sounding tiles suggest the adhesive beneath has failed. They will crack eventually. Not an emergency, but worth noting in any written agreement about the property's condition.
• Drainage and flooding. Check the yard gradient — does it slope away from the house, or towards it? Ask about the November-February rainy season specifically.

Appliances and Fittings

• Test the geyser (does the water actually get hot?)
• Run the kitchen taps and check under the sink for leaks
• Flush every toilet (twice — second flush confirms fill rate)
• Check the stove/oven if included
• Test any included air conditioning or ceiling fans

The Lease Agreement

Zimbabwe's Rent Regulations Act provides some tenant protections, but a written lease agreement is still your primary document. Before signing:

• Read the entire document. All of it.
• Confirm the monthly rent and when it is due.
• Confirm the deposit amount and the conditions for its return.
• Check the notice period — how much notice does each party need to give to end the tenancy?
• Clarify who pays for what: ZESA, council rates, water, WiFi, security subscription, garden maintenance.
• Check whether sub-letting is permitted (relevant if you might need a flatmate later).

Move-In Documentation

The moment you move in — ideally before your first night — do these three things:

1. Walk through with the landlord and sign an inventory — a list of every item in the property (furniture, appliances, fittings) and its condition.
2. Photograph everything — every room, every appliance, every crack, every mark on the wall. Use your phone and ensure the photos are date-stamped. Upload them somewhere you can access later.
3. Get a receipt for your deposit — signed, dated, and specifying the amount in USD and the property address.

When you eventually leave, these documents are your protection. Without them, a landlord can claim you caused damage that existed before you arrived. With them, you have evidence.

The Seven Red Flags

Walk away — or at minimum, proceed very carefully — if you encounter any of the following:

1. Request for a deposit before viewing the property.
2. Reluctance to provide a written lease. "We can just do it informally" almost always means "I want flexibility that benefits me."
3. Vague or evasive answers about who pays for utilities.
4. A landlord who won't let you take photos during the viewing.
5. Pressure to decide immediately — "I have three other people looking today." Maybe true. Maybe not. Take the time you need.
6. No running water during the viewing with no clear explanation. This is what the property is like; plan accordingly.
7. A price significantly below comparable properties. There is usually a reason.