Before you pay
Don’t pay a pound
before you’ve seen it.
Istaqer never takes bookings or money. This page has everything you need from finding a place to signing for it.
Four steps, in this order only
Pick the area and the place
See its minutes to the gate and its typical rent, and save a few places to compare.
Contact the advertiser directly
By phone or WhatsApp. Ask what the rent includes, how much the deposit is, and whether there’s a commission.
See it yourself
With the viewing checklist, and family if you can. See the room itself, not photos.
Pay as you sign the contract
To the owner named in the contract, and get a receipt. Not before, and never to Istaqer.
Your first month, added up
The first month costs
more than the rent.
Rent, a deposit, maybe a commission, transport and bills. Put in the numbers for the place you’re considering and see what you’ll really need.
- First month’s rent
- 2,500
- Deposit (should come back when you leave)
- 2,500
- Broker commission
- none
- Transport this month
- free
- Bills this month
- Included
- Your first month
- 5,000 EGP
- Then every month (rent, transport and bills)
- 2,500 EGP
- The whole academic year (9 months, without the deposit or summer rent)
- 22,500 EGP
Scam signs
If you see any
of these, wait.
A “holding fee” or “booking” before the viewing
There’s no reason to pay for a place you haven’t seen. It’s one of the most common scams.
A price far below the area’s
If a bed is half its usual price, ask why. Sometimes it’s bait.
Pressure: “three others want it”
Being rushed to pay is a bad sign. Take your time.
Photos that look lifted from the web
Ask for a live video or photos taken today, and compare at the viewing.
Won’t meet you or show the contract
Someone with a real place won’t mind a viewing or a written contract.
Transfer to a wallet in someone else’s name
Money goes to the person named in the contract, with a receipt.
If anyone asks you for money in Istaqer’s name, it’s a scam. Tell us. Report a listing
The contract
What the contract
must say
Spoken promises don’t help when something goes wrong. Before you sign, make sure all of this is written down.
- 1
Length Nine months or a year, and when it starts. Whether you pay summer rent.
- 2
Rent How much, when in the month it’s due, and exactly what it includes.
- 3
Deposit How much, when it comes back, and what can be deducted from it.
- 4
Commission If there’s a broker: how much, who pays it, and that it’s paid once.
- 5
Leaving early What you’d owe, and how much notice you need to give.
- 6
House rules How many people live there, visits, and the return time if there is one.
- 7
The owner Their name and details, and that they’re the one you’re paying.
At the viewing
10 things to see
with your own eyes
Take it with you to the viewing. Tick what you’ve checked, and send it to your family so they can relax.
Questions
What everyone
asks each year
Does Istaqer take any money?
No. Istaqer doesn’t take bookings, deposits or any money. You see the place yourself; the deal and the payment are between you and the owner or broker. If anyone contacts you in Istaqer’s name asking for a transfer, it’s a scam.
Do you inspect the places?
No, we don’t inspect places. Every listing says who posted it (the owner, a current tenant or a broker) and when they said it was free. That’s why seeing it yourself is the only guarantee, and the checklist here helps.
How do I contact the owner?
From the listing page you contact the advertiser directly, by phone or WhatsApp. Your number doesn’t go through us and isn’t published. You can bring family to the viewing. If a broker asks for commission, that’s agreed with them, not with us.
Where do these prices come from?
From the listings. “Typical” means close to the average for the same kind of place (bed or room, women’s or men’s) in the same area. If it’s clearly higher or lower, we say so.
Minutes to where, exactly?
To the nearest gate of your campus, at 8 AM. Walking follows real OpenStreetMap routes at 4.8 km/h; metro includes the walk to the station and the wait; microbus is an estimate that swings with traffic.
When should I start looking?
Right after the admission results (tansik) in August and September, or after your acceptance letter if you are coming from outside Egypt. Places near the gate go first, so start early, and see a place before you pay anything.
What about the university dorms?
If you qualify (rules differ for students from abroad), they’re usually the cheapest option. But places are limited and applications have deadlines, so apply early and keep a plan B.
What else to ask in women’s housing?
Is there a supervisor? What’s the return time? Who may visit? You can bring family to the viewing. Each card shows these when the advertiser has told us.