Apartment viewing checklist: what to check before renting in Cherkasy

Some questions are best asked before you go, so you can rule out unsuitable options. This is especially true for blackout readiness: on 29 September 2026 only 28 of 108 long-term apartment listings in Cherkasy on OLX filled in the field about heating, water, lift and internet during outages. In most cases you will have to ask.

And one safety rule above all: do not send money before you have seen the apartment and met the landlord. That is exactly what OLX advises in its rental safety guidance.

• Exact address, floor, and whether the lift works during outages.
• Type of heating. On OLX, 62 of 108 listings had central heating, 17 individual gas heating and 4 electric.
• Who will show the apartment: the owner or a representative, and whether you can see the ownership documents.
• Who pays the utility bills and roughly how much they come to in winter and summer.
• Whether children or pets are allowed and how many people can be listed in the lease.
• Whether the owner will agree to you registering your place of residence, if you need it.
• How much you need up front: first month, deposit, fee. For agency terms, ask the manager.

Start with a general walk-through while the owner talks. Look past the nice finishes at the things that show up over time: stains, cracks, smells. In autumn pay special attention to the windows, because they decide how warm the flat will be in winter.

• Windows: do they open and close tightly, are the seals intact, is there a draught.
• Corners, ceiling, bathroom, behind wardrobes: stains, mould, peeling wallpaper.
• Smells: damp, sewage, tobacco. If the windows were thrown open just before you arrived, take note.
• Floors: creaking, swollen laminate near the bathroom or kitchen.
• Doors and locks: are they solid, how many sets of keys, can the lock be changed.
• Noise: traffic, neighbours, the lift shaft. If possible, visit in the evening or at the weekend.

Do not be shy about running the taps and looking under the sink; it is a normal part of any viewing. Ask who pays for repairs, too. Under Ukraine's Civil Code the tenant handles routine repairs and the landlord major ones unless the lease says otherwise (Art. 819), so agree in advance, and in writing, who pays if the water heater or washing machine breaks.

• Hot and cold water: pressure, how quickly the hot water comes through.
• Toilet: flush, any leaking from the cistern.
• Under the sink and around the bath: signs of leaks, smell, condition of the hoses.
• Bath and shower drains: does the water go down quickly.
• Bathroom ceiling: marks from past flooding from upstairs.
• Water heater: capacity, does it work, when was it last serviced.

Rentals in Cherkasy usually come furnished and equipped: 96 of 108 OLX listings were marked as furnished. So do not just look at the appliances, switch them on. Bring a phone charger; it is the easiest way to test sockets.

• Sockets and switches: do they work, are they loose, any scorch marks.
• Fuse box: breakers, does it trip when the kettle and water heater run together.
• Cooker: gas or electric, do all hobs and the oven work, is there an extractor hood.
• Individual gas boiler or water heater: when was it serviced, is there paperwork.
• Fridge, washing machine, air conditioner: switch them on and listen.
• Furniture and mattress: condition, and whether everything in the photos stays.
• Internet: which providers serve the building, can you connect your own.

Under the Civil Code the tenant pays the utility bills unless the lease says otherwise (Art. 815). At the viewing, find out which bills arrive and ask to see the latest receipts: you will get an idea of the amounts and confirm there are no arrears. OLX also recommends checking utility receipts for long-term rentals.

There is no legal requirement to record meter readings at move-in, but it is standard practice and protects both sides. The Cedos think tank describes a common problem: landlords hold back the deposit “until the utility bills come in”, which is after the tenant has already left. Readings recorded in the handover report help avoid that dispute. With the owner's consent, utility contracts can also be put in the tenant's name, as Ukraine's Law on Housing and Utility Services allows.

• Photograph each meter so both the reading and the serial number are visible: electricity, cold and hot water, gas, heat if metered.
• Write the readings and date into the handover report and both sign it.
• Agree who submits readings and pays the bills, and how.

If you want a flat that keeps the lights on, do not rely on the ad alone. Only 7 of 108 Cherkasy apartment listings on OLX mentioned a generator, an inverter, backup power or blackouts (as of 29 September 2026). What keeps working without mains power depends on the building, the floor and how heating and water are set up, so check each point.

A note on gas boilers: many modern boilers stop without electricity because their controls and pump need power. Ask whether the boiler is connected to a backup power supply.

• Floor and lift: does the lift have backup power, are you happy to use the stairs.
• Water on upper floors: are there pumps in the building and do they run during outages.
• Heating: central or individual, does the boiler work without power.
• Cooker: a gas hob lets you cook during an outage, an electric one does not.
• Backup power: an inverter, batteries, a generator for the building or the residents' association.
• Connectivity: does the provider's internet stay up during outages, is there mobile signal inside.
• Stairwell: emergency lighting, does the intercom work.

Ask the owner where the nearest shelter is, and do not settle for “somewhere nearby”. Walk the route yourself, see whether the entrance is open and whether you could find it at night. Check shelter information on the city's official channels, not only in chat groups.

The building and the people around you matter as much as the renovation. Look at the stairwell, the yard and the bin area, and if you meet neighbours, ask what living there is like. It also helps to know who manages the building, a residents' association or a management company, in case something breaks.

• Stairwell: cleanliness, lighting, intercom, condition of the lift.
• Yard: parking, playground, lighting after dark.
• Nearby: shops, pharmacy, public transport stop, school or kindergarten if needed.
• Neighbours: any renovation next door, any noise complaints.

If the apartment suits you, move on to the paperwork. Only the owner or someone authorised by them may rent out a home (Civil Code, Art. 761), so ask a representative for their power of attorney. OLX recommends checking the ownership document and the property's technical passport, and verifying the landlord's passport through the State Migration Service. Ownership can also be checked in the State Register of Property Rights; the online search is paid (Diia lists 40 UAH, subject to change) and needs a qualified e-signature.

A residential lease must be in writing (Art. 811). For a lease of one year or longer, it must name the people who will live with the tenant (Arts. 816 and 821); for a shorter lease this is not required, but it is still worth listing everyone. Attach a handover report with an inventory, photos and meter readings. If you want to register your address electronically via Diia, note that a tenant can only do so with the owner's consent. More in our article on the rental agreement.

Run through this list at every viewing. If anything raises a doubt, ask the owner or the manager before you pay anything.

• No money before the viewing and meeting the landlord.
• Windows, walls, corners, bathroom: no mould, draughts or flood marks.
• Water: pressure, hot water, drains, dry under the sink.
• Sockets, fuse box, cooker, boiler, every appliance: switch them on.
• Receipts with no arrears, photos of meters with serial numbers.
• Lift, water, heat, cooking and connectivity during outages.
• Nearest shelter: route walked.
• Stairwell, yard, neighbours, noise.
• Owner's documents or the representative's power of attorney.
• A written lease and a handover report with photos.