Many landlords here are very new at renting their properties and feel nervous to do so, thinking that the tenant can leave them stranded at any point in time.

When renting a property , the landlord will therefore typically ask for a security deposit and at least 6 months rent up front for a year lease. They could even ask for the whole year's rent in advance. Sometimes, you can try to negotiate that down to 3 months, usually at a higher price. In general, my suggestion is to not to consent to the yearly payment unless the landlord has proven that they are responsible in attending to your needs. After all, what incentive do they have to keep you happy if you pay the whole rent in advance? The only way you can gauge a landlord is to see how their place has been maintained. If their place is maintained well, they actually do care about their home and will do the necessary repairs. Security deposits are usually one month's rent but sometimes can be more or less depending on the quality of the furnishings. The deposit also takes into account any damage to the fixtures as well as unpaid utility bills.