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Principal Points of the Rental Law

Rental Contract Costa Rica

A Costa Rica rental contract can be either verbal or written. No matter what a contract says, a renter who duly accomplishes the terms of a rental agreement, can stay for three years minimum, no matter what. If the period of the contract is more than three years, the higher term takes priority.

At the end of the term, if the landlord wants the rental property back, he or she needs to notify the tenant at least three months before the term expires. Otherwise the term is automatically renewed for another three years or whatever the original term of the contract states.

When property is rented to an individual as a home and in colones, Costa Rica’s currency, the rent amount increases automatically 15 percent every year. When the rental price is agreed to in any other currency, the automatic increase does not apply. Usually rents are stated in colons or U.S. dollars in Costa Rica but can be negotiated using any worldwide currency. Businesses can negotiate any payment method and/or yearly adjustments agreeable to both parties.

Public services and utilities are to be paid by the tenant except for property taxes, which are the responsibility of the landlord.

If a Costa Rica property is sold or otherwise transferred it should not impact on the tenant’s rights and the new landlord must respect any existing contract.
Any improvements made by a tenant automatically become the property of the landlord.

A tenant can not change the original agreed upon use of a property. For example, a home cannot be turned into a pet store nor a pet store into a bar. Landlords have the right to inspect their property once a month. Tenants have the legal right to pay rent up to seven days after it is due. In negotiating a rental contract, a landlord can request any guarantee deposit they see necessary to protect their interests. Tenants can not sub-rent/lease a property. Rooms in homes usually rent for around $100 monthly. We know of several foreigners who live this way to save money.

As we mention later on, before deciding to live in Costa Rica permanently, it is a good idea to rent a place first or find a real estate agent who can show you around and guide you through the buying process. As you have just seen there are a variety of rental options and price ranges to match almost any taste or budget. However, for gringos, the prices are generally much higher.

You will need a map of San Jose and the suburbs. Costa Rica Classifieds.net, the Tico Times and Costa Rica Today, are two places to start looking. La Nacion is the Spanish language newspaper with ads. They have an excellent Costa Rica real estate section on Saturdays. However, relying solely on classified ads in newspapers is a mistake and can prove to be misleading. Some places are outright disappointing when compared to the way they are described in ads.

Other sources for finding an apartment are supermarket bulletin boards and word of mouth. Tell everyone you know you’re hunting, and ask them to tell every one they know, and so on. The Blue Marlin Bar, in the Hotel Del Rey, MacDonald’s in San Jose, around the Central Park in Heredia and other gringo hangouts are other places to inquire about rentals.

When hunting for an apartment or Costa Rica house to rent contact the Association of Residents of Costa Rica ARCR, Tel: (506) 233-8068/ 221-2053, Fax: (506) 255-0061. They will help you look in those areas that suite your personal needs and take the headaches out of finding a place to live.

When reading the ads in the Spanish newspapers you should be familiar with the following words: Se Alquila-for rent, agua caliente-hot water, alfombrado-carpeted, amueblado-furnished, sin muebles-unfurnished, baño-bathroom, cocina-kitchen, cochera or garaje-garage, contrato-contract, depósito- deposit, dormitorio-bedroom, guarda-guard, jardín-garden, seguro-safe, patio-patio, parqueo-parking, verjas-bars, zona verde-grassy area, ¢ = colones (Costa Rican money).

For the latest Costa Rica housing listings go to Costa Rica Classifieds.net

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