If you’re staying in Milan for a course, work assignment, internship, or anything else with an end date, you’re stuck in a gap that most housing sites don’t explain well when it comes to mid-term rentals in Milan. It’s too long for a hotel but too uncertain for a standard year-long lease. Most people in this situation stay for one to 18 months, and if that’s you, a transitional contract (contratto transitorio) is almost certainly the answer. It can last up to 18 months and is made for temporary stays like a course, internship, or work transfer, not tourism (Art. 5, L. 431/98).
This is exactly the gap we created, Townhomes Milano, to fill: seven furnished, professionally managed apartments across two Milan addresses, for people who need a real home for a few months without committing to a traditional long-term lease. We built this guide because we get asked these same questions on nearly every inquiry, so here’s the full picture, not just our apartments. But “temporary” in Milan isn’t only that one contract. If your program runs longer, there’s a separate legal path built for that too, covered below. This post covers the full range of non-permanent housing, not just stays of 1 to 18 months. That’s because the real questions, like deposits, utilities, paperwork, and what you don’t need, are mostly the same either way.
The real choice: hotel vs. standard lease vs. affitto transitorio vs. student contract
Hotel: flexible, no admin, but the cost balloons past a few weeks and it never feels like a base.
– Standard Italian lease (4+4): usually wants a guarantor, agency fees, a year-plus commitment. Wrong tool if you don’t know how long you’re staying.
– Affitto Transitorio: If you’re staying 1 to 18 months for a genuine, temporary reason, such as a course, an internship, or a work assignment, this is usually your answer. Legally, this falls under Art. 5 of Legge 431/98. Many furnished, monthly, corporate-housing, and serviced-apartment listings you find online are legally the same type of contract. They are simply marketed under different names.
– University student contract (contratto di locazione per studenti universitari): for students specifically, running 6 months to 3 years. Rent is capped within Milan’s territorial-agreement bands. Auto-renews once for an equal period unless you give 1 to 3 months’ notice before the first deadline. Your landlord can’t end it early; you can, with 3 months’ notice for serious reasons.
What you actually need
– Deposit: Townhomes Milano mid-term apartments ask for 2 months’ rent as a deposit plus 1 month paid in advance for stays under a year, making 3 months’ rent due at signing. For stays of 12+ months, the deposit is 3 months’ rent plus 1 month paid in advance.
A standard Italian lease caps the deposit at 3 months’ rent by law. However, it usually also requires a guarantor and agency fees, plus the year-long commitment you’re trying to avoid in the first place.
– Utilities: At Town Homes Milano, everything is bundled into the rent, including the kitchen, Wi-Fi, heating, water, and condominium fees. Electricity is the only exception and is billed monthly based on actual consumption via your POD meter.
(Some mid-term operators bundle electricity too; others exclude utilities entirely, so always check before you book.)
– Furnishing: Fully furnished means no buying a bed frame in September to sell it in June.
– Paperwork: Codice fiscale, contract registration, and what a contracts partner (like Cusani10) handles versus what’s on the tenant.
What you don't need
– No guarantor / fideiussione
– No furniture purchases
– No year-long commitment if you’re not sure yet
– No months of hotel bills
Getting your codice fiscale
You need one to sign any rental contract in Italy. Three routes, not equally fast:
– In person at an Agenzia delle Entrate office in Milan: same-day, free.
– By delegation: someone else submits form AA4/8 with your signed authorization, also same-day once submitted.
– Through the Italian consulate before arriving: free, but takes days to a few weeks depending on the consulate, not same-day. Apply early if going this route.
Our apartments:
Via Razza 8, Milano
We have four brand-new apartments in Via Razza 8 designed for professionals, relocating families, and anyone needing a comfortable Milan home base for 1-18 months.
Before it was four apartments, this building had a whole other life: a family cookware business going back to 1860. Later, for twelve years, it was a warehouse that quietly supplied leather goods to a major fashion house in Milan’s Quadrilatero della Moda.
When we turned it into homes, we wanted that same care to carry through.
All four apartments are located on the ground floor (seminterrato) at Via Razza 8. They’re just a 10-minute walk from Milano Centrale station and 2 minutes from Repubblica metro station (M3 line).
An exceptional location on a quiet no-through road, with professional management designed for longer stays.
Each apartment reflects one of our family members’ design sensibilities.
Andreas, our son, has always loved clean lines and honest materials, and his apartment shows it: exposed textures and a calm, grounded palette.
Its one-bedroom layout is built for couples or small families settling into Milan life.
Sit in it for five minutes and you’ll feel his steady, unfussy personality in every choice.
Sara, our daughter and the one who designed our whole visual identity, brought her art director’s eye to the space.
It’s Mediterranean-inspired, sunny, warm, and a little indulgent.
Her choices ran a bit more luxurious than we’d budgeted for. We caved anyway, because her taste was simply better than our objections.
Nina, that’s me, leaned into my Nordic roots: a compact, perfectly efficient studio, clean lines, natural materials, nothing that doesn’t earn its place.
I love how Scandinavian minimalism calms the mind, and I hope our guests feel that too.
Simone, born and raised in Milan, designed our largest apartment with a native’s instinct for the city.
Natural materials meet real urban living in a two-bedroom layout suited to families or students and colleagues relocating together.
His easygoing, happy nature runs through the whole space, with a refined Milanese elegance.
Via Ponte Seveso 43, Milano
We currently have three bilocale (one-bedroom apartments) run as short-term rentals here, and from November 2026 all three join the mid-term family. Before it was divided, it was a single house, and one of our own lived there for three years while studying art direction at IED Milano.
Here’s what she told us about it:
“I was lucky enough to have a beautiful home to live in, the one that now hosts three even more beautiful apartments. It hosted innumerable dinner parties and movie nights with my best friend and our friends. My first year at IED was filled with art history classes, photography, history of advertising, and plenty of other topics I was genuinely passionate about.
Living in Milan as a student felt like a coming-of-age movie. Wednesday nights at the Lambrate library for a spritz for three euros, Friday nights in Porta Venezia for a big, fun crowd. A multitude of museums and exhibits for your heart’s content, cheap and fancy restaurants, cafes to study in, parks to lay in with your friends. Honestly, Milan has a magical quality that made my student years feel almost unreal.”
Guests who’ve stayed in the same building since echo a lot of what she described. A sample, translated to English where needed, first names and countries as posted publicly on the listing
On the location:
– “The apartment is so well located that we were able to see all of Milan using only public transport. (Frederic, Bavelincourt, France).
–Excellent location. Only a 5-minute walk from two metro stations, including Milano Centrale. (Stefana, Podgorica, Montenegro).
–Located in a beautiful and secured building, near both Centrale and Garibaldi train stations. (Victor, Dijon, France)
– Very close to Centrale station, about a 20-25 minute walk to the Duomo, a genuinely central location. (Gökhan, Ankara, Turkey, translated)
– A very nice apartment within a 10-minute walk to Milano Centrale, perfect for train trips to other towns and the airport bus transfer. (Natalya, Oslo, Norway)
On the arredo:
– The apartment is decorated with taste, in a cohesive, well-kept vintage style. (Frederic, Bavelincourt, France, translated)
– Stylishly decorated, quite spacious, in an interesting historic building with an incredible elevator. (Stanislav, Belgrade, Serbia)
– Spacious, bright apartment, decorated with taste. Very clean, vintage building, friendly concierge. (Stéphanie, Nantes, France, translated)
-Beautifully furnished, perfect for four people. The building itself is charming, if old. (Dagmara, Krakow, Poland, translated)
-The furnishings matched the photos exactly, very cozy. We really enjoyed the evenings on the balcony. (Stina, Berlin, Germany, translated)
Availability
From November 2026, all three Via Ponte Seveso apartments are available on the same 1-18 month (or longer, for the student contract) terms as Via Razza 8.
Find your home in Milan
Whether you’re here for a semester, a work assignment, or figuring out the next year of your life, we’d love to help you find a base that actually feels like one.
● Via Razza 8 — four apartments, 1–18 months, two minutes from Repubblica metro.
● Via Ponte Seveso 43 — three apartments, joining the mid-term family from November 2026, ten minutes from Milano Centrale.
Get in touch to check dates and availability, or browse all our apartments at townhomesmilano.com.
Having moved to Italy myself, I know how overwhelming those first weeks can feel. Our goal is simple: to make you feel at home, not just housed.
This post is general information, not legal or tax advice — check the details of your own contract before signing anything.
FAQs
What is affitto transitorio?
A transitional rental contract under Art. 5 of Legge 431/98 covers 1 to 18 months and is reserved for a genuine, documented temporary need, such as study, a work assignment, or an internship. It is not intended for tourism, and the reason for the temporary stay must be stated in the contract itself.
How rent is set for this contract depends on the specific agreement and Milan’s local rules. It is worth asking directly if it matters to you. Many listings marketed as “furnished,” “monthly,” “corporate housing,” or “serviced apartment” in Milan are this same contract, just marketed under different names.
How much deposit do I need for a mid-term rental in Milan?
At Town Homes Milano: 2 months’ rent as deposit plus 1 month in advance (3 months’ worth at signing) for stays under a year, or 3 months’ deposit plus 1 month advance for 12+ month stays. By law, no Italian residential lease can ask for more than 3 months’ rent as a security deposit (Art. 11, L. 392/1978). Landlords often add advance rent on top of that cap.
Do I need a guarantor for a furnished rental in Milan?
Not by law. There’s no rule requiring one. Landlords commonly ask for a guarantor when a tenant’s income is uncertain, such as students, new arrivals, or short-term contracts. However, it’s a negotiable request, not a legal requirement, and can be swapped for a larger deposit instead. That’s why Town Homes Milano doesn’t ask for one. The deposit structure covers it.
Can I rent in Milan for less than a year as a student?
Yes, there are two paths: the transitorio (1–18 months) if your program is shorter or your dates are still uncertain. Or the dedicated University student contract (6 months–3 years, auto-renews once) if you know you’re committing to a longer, defined stay.
Do I need a codice fiscale to rent an apartment in Milan?
Yes — it’s required to sign any registered rental contract in Italy. See the three routes above (in person, by delegation, or through your consulate before arriving).
Is this the same as corporate housing or a serviced apartment?
In many cases, yes. “Corporate housing” and “serviced apartment” are marketing terms, not separate legal categories. Underneath, they’re often the same affitto transitorio contract: furnished, all-inclusive except electricity, and professionally managed.
What if my program runs longer than 18 months?
The transitorio caps out at 18 months. If you qualify as a student, the University student contract covers up to 3 years. Past that, a standard 4+4 lease becomes the realistic option, with guarantor and agency fees included.
