The National Congress has given its final approval to a new rental bill, which now heads to the Executive Branch for enactment. The bill, which passed through the Chamber of Deputies after being modified by the Senate, aims to regulate rental contracts for residential homes, commercial properties, and spaces used by non-profit organizations.
The bill has clauses on rental prices, contract renewals, property abandonment, and the required security deposits.
The bill introduces several significant changes to how rental agreements are handled. Among the changes are:
• Security deposits: The bill sets a new limit on security deposits, which can’t exceed the equivalent of two months’ rent.
• Contract renewals: The bill specifies regulations regarding the renewal of rental contracts, aiming to provide more clarity and stability for both landlords and tenants.
• Property abandonment: The bill outlines the process for dealing with cases where a tenant abandons a property, providing a legal framework for landlords to reclaim their property.
• Dispute resolution: For commercial and non-profit leases, the law now includes a provision allowing for disputes to be settled through arbitration, offering an alternative to traditional litigation.
The bill, authored by Alfredo Pacheco, went through a lengthy legislative process, having been initially submitted last year. It faced delays and disagreements between senators before being reintroduced and finally approved in the current extraordinary legislative session.
As reported in Diario Libre, other bills that passed in the Chamber of Deputies were those of the Ministry of Justice, Congressional Oversight, and Family Assets.
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Diario Libre
6 August 2025