Rental Agreement in Chiang Mai — What Must It Include? A Guide for Landlords

Rental Agreement in Chiang Mai — What Must It Include? A Guide for Landlords

A good rental agreement is the most important protection for property owners in Chiang Mai. This article covers everything a lease must contain, drawn from 20+ years of local property management experience.

Basic Information Required in the Lease

Party information
- Full name, address, and national ID of both landlord and tenant
- For foreign tenants: passport number and visa type
- Phone number and email for contact

Property information
- Full address and detailed property description
- Inventory list of included furniture and appliances
- Property condition at the start of the tenancy (with photographs)

Key Clauses That Must Be Included

1. Tenancy Period and Renewal
- Start and end date of the lease
- Renewal conditions (automatic or new agreement required)
- Notice period before lease ends (typically 30-60 days)

2. Rent and Payment
- Monthly rent amount and payment due date
- Payment method (bank transfer, cash)
- Bank account details for transfer
- Late payment penalty (typically 1-2% per day)

3. Security Deposit
- Deposit amount (typically 2 months' rent)
- Conditions for deposit return
- Permitted deductions from the deposit
- Timeframe for return (typically 15-30 days after vacating)

4. Utilities
- Clearly specify what is included in rent and what the tenant pays separately
- Water and electricity rates (government rate or special rate)
- Internet and common area fees

5. Prohibited Activities and Usage Rules
- No pets (or specify permitted types)
- No smoking inside the property
- No subletting
- Maximum number of occupants
- Noise and neighbor disturbance rules

6. Maintenance and Responsibilities
- Minor damage: tenant responsible (e.g., light bulbs, keys)
- System failures: landlord responsible (e.g., air conditioning, burst pipes)
- Maintenance request procedure
- Process for damage caused by the tenant

7. Early Termination Conditions
- Advance notice required (typically 30-60 days)
- Penalty for early departure
- Circumstances allowing immediate termination by the landlord

Common Landlord Mistakes

- Not listing furniture and property condition at the start
- Not photographing the property before handover
- Unclear late payment penalty terms
- No deposit return conditions specified
- Using a short-form lease that does not cover all situations

Lease Agreement Services from More Property CM

We provide standard lease agreements in both Thai and English, covering all scenarios and compliant with Thai law, for properties managed through us at no additional charge.

MORE Value. MORE Trust. Always.
Contact us today for a free consultation:
Line: @morecm | www.morepropertycm.co.th
Aurakanya: +66 83-236-9428
Eknarin: +66 96-236-9745