Many newcomers to Northern Italy find private housing in the local community. Homes must be assessed and approved for use by your installation Housing Office before you sign a lease. If you lease a private house, you will be responsible for paying rent and utilities and are expected to provide basic maintenance. You will receive an Overseas Housing Allowance (OHA) to defray these housing costs.

Search for available and approved rentals at  www.homes.mil. Houses come and go quickly, so check the site daily.

You may choose to use a realtor: however, you are responsible for realtor fees (usually one month’s rent and 22 percent tax), and the Housing Office will need to approve your final choice.

Aviano

Arrange to view a home by using the contact information in the house listing on homes.mil. If you do not have a vehicle, your sponsor should assist in transporting you to house viewings. All units must be inspected by a housing specialist before the approved Rental Agreement can be signed. Expect to pay a deposit to hold the home.

USAG Italy

Request to view a home in-person at the Housing Office. This request holds the home for you until you can view it. You may have two homes on hold at one time. Housing will schedule a time for a taxi and interpreter to take you to view the home; this service can only be used to view five homes. You have 24 hours after viewing a home to notify the Housing Office of your intent to rent. Lease signing will be scheduled at the Housing Office with a lease counselor and the landlord, you will then be driven back to the house to note any problems and receive the keys. You must pay a deposit before moving in and submit a copy of the payment to the Housing Office.

Visit www.travel.dod.mil/Allowances to find current allowance rates. 

Temporary Lodging Allowance (TLA) 

TLA reimburses temporary quarters costs while you are searching for a home or waiting for government housing. To be eligible, service members must be actively seeking housing.

• Personnel must get TLA approved through the Housing Office before submitting to their Command. 

• Utility activation after signing a lease can take 10-15 days, so account for this time within your TLA maximum to avoid paying out of pocket. 

Overseas Housing Allowance (OHA) 

The HSC will provide your OHA form for starting the allowance when you sign a lease.  

• Rental allowance is a reimbursement of your exact monthly lease cost. 

• The utility allowance is a flat rate amount given monthly to defray costs of electric, gas, water, garbage and other recuring home maintenance costs. It is not intended to cover phones, internet, gardening, cleaning, pools, etc. 

Personnel can contact their Command to request an advance OHA payment to cover security deposit, first month’s rent or other startup charges. 

Aviano

Temporary loaner furniture is available from the Furnishing Management Section (FMS) so you will have basic items like beds, dressers, a table and a couch while you wait for your household goods shipment. In addition, appliances are available to borrow for the duration of your tour. These consist of a washer, dryer, refrigerator and stove.

USAG Italy

At your lease signing, you will choose what temporary furniture you would like delivered to your new home. This includes basic items like beds, dressers, tables and couches, plus appliances like a washer, dryer, stove and refrigerator. You will need to call the Furniture Warehouse to have temporary furnishings removed from your home. This may be done twice, typically before your household goods arrival and before you move out.

Installation and setup fees for utilities can be high. Italian bills are sent every two months and are usually due within one week. Keep a record of all rental and utility payments in case they get lost or misrouted.

Electricity and Heating

Aviano

Visit the Home Fuel Office to set up natural gas and electricity rental agreements. This tax exemption program can greatly reduce your utility costs.

Homes heated with Gasolio (diesel fuel or oil) may also be able to use the program if they do not share a heating system with adjacent apartments or units.

USAG Italy

At your lease signing an appointment will be made for an interpreter to accompany you in person to the electric company. Be prepared to pay a fee and deposit. Roughly 10 days later, your initial bill and contract will arrival in the mail. These must be taken to the Housing Office so they can submit the contract on your behalf.

You are responsible for establishing and paying your heating bill. This is usually in the form of natural gas or oil. Visit your Tax Relief Office to sign up for the Utility Tax Exemption Program (UTEP) to avoid paying taxes on heating fuel.

Water

Water bills are typically paid directly to your landlord and may only come every two, three or six months.

Internet

Your landlord is your best resource for finding good internet service at your new home. Be prepared to wait. Installation appointments are often scheduled two to four weeks out and are commonly cancelled and rescheduled. Even after it is installed, services may take up to a week to begin working.

Commonly used providers: TKS, Tim, Wind, Vodafone, FastWeb, Trivenet, Infostrada, Telemar, Open Skies

Television

AFN (American Forces Network)

Provides programming from current U.S. networks and prime channels.

You can use a decoder and satellite for AFN or sign up for the AFN Now streaming service.

Satellite

·     Visit www.sky.com.

·     You will need a satellite and a decoder.

Streaming services

The show variety and availability may be limited and different because you are outside the U.S. Some offer a unique Italian version.

Examples – AFN Now, Amazon Prime, Disney+, Netflix, etc.

Local provincial fiscal authorities determine who is exempt from paying the Italian national Value Added Tax (VAT) on purchases. For this reason, different locations have varying policies.

Aviano

Military members stationed at Aviano are exempt from paying tax on vehicle repairs. Visit the base Legal Office with your registration to receive a notarized VAT form. This can then be used to eliminate taxes when paying for repairs.

USAG Italy

Military members stationed at USAG Italy are exempt from paying the Imposta sul Valore Aggiunto (IVA), otherwise known as VAT, on household goods and car parts from specific businesses in the region. The exemption only applies to purchases over 150 euros at a single business. Visit the Tax Relief Office (TRO) for detailed instructions.

Welcome to Northern Italy