Save Over 90% on Fees
Rent in Malta. Skip the agency fee.
In Malta, renting through an agency costs a full month's rent plus VAT in commission — split with the owner on paper, but in practice it all lands on the renter. On Squarelly you pay a small contact-unlock fee per property instead — about 2% of that commission each. Contact a whole shortlist of landlords and you'll still spend over 90% less.
Traditional agency
one-month commission
Paid once, on signing
Squarelly
contact unlock
Per property you pursue
* Comparison illustrative. Each Squarelly contact unlock is roughly 2% of a typical Maltese agency commission; the “over 90% saving” holds for a shortlist of up to about five unlocks. The agency commission baseline assumes the owner's half of the nominal 50/50 split is passed back to the renter in practice. Saving applies to a search that ends in a signed lease.
The agency fee is the worst part of renting
In Malta, the agency commission is one month's rent plus VAT. On paper it's split 50/50 between renter and owner — but in practice the owner's half is passed straight back to the renter, so you carry the full commission either way. It falls due once, on the property you sign for: a large, non-refundable cost for what is essentially an introduction. On an €850/month apartment, that's roughly €850 plus VAT — around €1,000 — gone before your first night.
the agency commission to rent a flat in Malta
split 50/50 on paper, but the owner's half is passed back to the renter
which is most of what that commission actually buys
Pay for the connection, not the commission
Squarelly removes the middleman. Listings are posted by verified owners. When you find a property you want to pursue, you pay one small contact-unlock fee — a fraction of a traditional commission — and get the owner's direct contact details. No recurring charges, no commission on signing, no fee to the landlord that quietly lands back on your rent.
Small fee per unlock
Unlock as many landlords as you want to explore; each costs a fraction of an agency commission. No subscription, no commission when you sign.
Direct to the owner
You negotiate terms with the person who actually owns the property.
Verified listings
Every owner is identity-checked before a listing goes live.
A faster yes or no
Talk directly and you'll both know quickly whether it's a fit. No agent nudging a shaky deal toward signing — finding out early always beats finding out late.
You're not just renting a flat — you're choosing a landlord
A tenancy is a long relationship with one specific person: your landlord. Are their expectations reasonable? Will they fix what breaks? Are they someone you can actually talk to? With a traditional agency you often never find out before you commit — the agent stands between you and the owner, and in many cases tenants sign without properly meeting the person whose property they're moving into. Months later, dealing with the real owner for the first time, you discover the relationship is nothing like you assumed. By then, walking away means breaking a lease, losing time and money, and putting your security deposit at risk — back to square one, out of pocket, and hunting for a flat all over again.
Squarelly puts that conversation first. When you unlock contact, you talk to the actual owner — not a representative. One honest exchange tells you a great deal: what they expect from a tenant, whether those expectations are grounded in reality, and whether the two of you would get along. The small contact-unlock fee buys something an agency commission never does — the chance to read the person on the other side of the lease before you are committed to them.
With a traditional agency
With Squarelly
That feature scores the property against your preferences; this section is about sizing up the person.
Where your money goes
The contact-unlock fee keeps Squarelly running — verification, secure messaging, the platform itself — without taking a cut of your lease or inflating your rent. You see the exact fee before you pay. If a listing turns out to be inactive, our support team will make it right.
Common questions about fees
How much is the contact-unlock fee?
You see the exact amount on each listing before you pay anything. You pay it once per property you choose to unlock — roughly 2% of what a traditional agency would charge in commission.
Is the "over 90% saving" real?
Yes — and it’s based on how people actually rent. Most renters pursue several properties before choosing one. Each Squarelly contact unlock is about 2% of an agency commission, so even unlocking a full shortlist of properties totals well under 10% of what the agency route would cost — a saving of over 90%. Your exact figure depends on the rent, how many properties you pursue, and the agency you’d otherwise have used.
Do I pay every month?
No. There’s no subscription. You pay a one-off fee only for the properties you choose to unlock, and there’s no commission when you sign.
Does the landlord pay a fee that gets passed back to me?
No. There’s no agency commission built into the rent. You deal directly with the owner.
Will I be dealing with the owner, or an agent?
The owner. Listings are posted by verified owners, and unlocking contact connects you directly to that person — there’s no agent in the middle. You get to read who you’d be renting from before you commit to anything.
What if I unlock a property and it doesn’t work out?
The contact-unlock fee is small, and you only pay it for properties you actively choose — so you unlock the few you’re serious about, not every listing you scroll past. You also unlock with your eyes open: you’ve already walked the property in its 360° tour and seen your compatibility score before you pay anything. Not every unlocked contact becomes a deal, and that’s fine — talking directly with the owner means you can both tell quickly whether it’s the right fit. If it isn’t, you find out early and move on. If a listing turns out to be already taken, inactive, or misrepresented, contact our support team and we’ll make it right.
Stop paying for an introduction
Browse verified rentals across Malta and connect directly with owners — for a fraction of an agency fee.