Housing & Living Essentials in Romania

Housing & Living Essentials

This module covers the management of long-term housing, after the initial administrative procedures have been completed. In Romania, the student housing market is divided between university infrastructure (dormitories) and the private market.
1. University Dormitories
- Management: Administered by the “Social Department” or “Accommodation Service” of each university.
- Procedure: Allocation is made according to academic and social criteria established by the university’s internal regulations.
- Technical note: Dormitory places offer the fastest method of obtaining the proof of accommodation required in Step 1. The accommodation contract/certificate issued by the university constitutes the legal residence document for that address.
2. Private Market
Recommended platforms: Use specialized portals (e.g. olx.ro, imobiliare.ro) or Facebook groups dedicated to students.
Lease Agreement (Legal Compliance):
- Mandatory: Any lease agreement must be registered with ANAF (National Agency for Fiscal Administration) by the landlord.
Importance: An unregistered contract does not provide legal protection to the tenant and cannot be used for residency formalities at IGI.
- Checks: Make sure that the inventory of the objects in the home and the state of the utilities are attached to the contract in the form of a “delivery-receipt report”.
3. Utilities & Billing (Utilities Management)
Included/separate services: Most rents are expressed in Euro, but payable in RON (at the BNR or commercial bank exchange rate on the day of payment).
- Invoices: Utilities (gas, electricity, internet, maintenance) are usually invoiced separately from the monthly rent.
Digitalization: Most utility providers (E.ON, Engie, Digi, Orange) offer mobile applications for monitoring consumption and paying bills online.
4. Dispute Resolution
In case of discrepancies regarding the contractual clauses, the legal basis is the Romanian Civil Code. It is recommended to keep all communications with the owner in written format (email/messages) in order to be used as evidence in the event of a dispute.
Integration note for the user:
"Regardless of the type of accommodation chosen, make sure that the address where you live is the one that will appear on your residence permit. Any change of address must be notified to IGI within the deadline provided by law in order to maintain the validity of your identity documents."

Private Market
Recommended platforms: Use specialized portals (e.g. olx.ro, imobiliare.ro) or Facebook groups dedicated to students.
Lease Agreement (Legal Compliance):
- Mandatory: Any lease agreement must be registered with ANAF (National Agency for Fiscal Administration) by the landlord.
Importance: An unregistered contract does not provide legal protection to the tenant and cannot be used for residency formalities at IGI.
- Checks: Make sure that the inventory of the objects in the home and the state of the utilities are attached to the contract in the form of a “delivery-receipt report”.