IMPORTANT! If you choose to contact a real estate agency in order to rent or buy a house, you must pay a commission. If you want to buy a property, the state charges a fee of up to 3% on the transaction, depending on its price. If you choose to contact a real estate agency to rent an apartment/ a house, then you should know that the commission varies - usually between 50% of the monthly rent and a whole month's rent.
Your rights and obligations as a buyer/client are stipulated in the contract signed with the real estate agency. The contract usually contains a confidentiality clause which does not allow you to come back as a natural or legal person and carry out the transaction directly with the owner. This means that once you've signed with the agency an agreement for viewing the property, the transaction cannot be negotiated separately with the owner.
In Romania, there is a government agency - the National Authority for Consumer Protection - which focuses on consumer rights. In case you want to file a complaint, this can be done online as well. Consumer telephone number: 0219551.
