What rights do you need to know when renting a house or condo?
Last updated: 3 Aug 2025
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Renting out houses and condos is currently one of the most popular long-term investment options. If you're considering investing in renting out houses or condos, you should carefully study everything from rental rates, contracts, and tenant selection. But what about renters? So, what should you do? Before renting a property, whether a house or condo, what should renters know?
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1. Landlords are not allowed to collect more than one month's rent in advance.
Advanced rent is a security deposit that most landlords collect to protect tenants from defaulting on rent or causing damage to the rental unit. Landlords typically collect two to three months' rent in advance (not including the security deposit).
However, in 2018, the Tenant Protection Act changed the law, prohibiting landlords from collecting more than one month's rent in advance. One month's rent in advance is sufficient to ensure that tenants cannot move out without paying the final month's rent when the lease ends. If tenants suspect that rent has been collected beyond this date and time, they can file a complaint and pursue legal action.
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2. Tenants have the right to terminate the lease at any time. But 30 days' notice is required.
Normally, renting a house or condo requires various terms and conditions that the landlord and tenant must abide by. The contract clearly specifies the date, time, and duration of the lease. This leads some tenants to believe that they cannot terminate the lease before the expiration date, fearing forfeiture of advance rent and penalties. However, the current Tenant Protection Act clearly stipulates tenants' rights: Tenants have the right to terminate the lease at any time, but must give the landlord 30 days' notice.
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3. Landlords cannot charge water and electricity bills exceeding actual usage.
Whether it's a rental house or condo, most landlords charge new rates based on the rates set by the landlord. Some landlords charge a fixed monthly rate, leaving tenants with no way to know how much water and electricity they're actually using.
Today, a new law has been enacted to protect tenants: landlords cannot charge water and electricity bills exceeding actual usage. Payments for water and electricity must be documented, reflecting actual usage, and landlords must notify tenants of this.
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4. Damages not caused by the tenant: The landlord or lessor is responsible.
Before renting a house or condo, the tenant has the right to inspect the condition of the materials and equipment inside the home or unit before moving in. If any damages or damages are found prior to moving in, the tenant can demand that the landlord repair them before moving in. This also applies to any damages within the unit that were not caused by the tenant, such as termites, water leaks, or broken air conditioners.
Under tenant protection law, the landlord is fully responsible for the entire duration of the lease. Therefore, if the landlord claims he or she will not pay the rent or labor for repairs, he or she can invoke this legal right.
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5. If the tenant fails to pay rent, the landlord has no right to trespass.
This right is crucial and frequently arises between landlords and tenants. Therefore, tenants and lessors should be aware that if the tenant defaults on rent or fails to pay rent as per the lease agreement, the landlord has no right to trespass without permission, even if the renter owns the rental property, whether a house, condo, or commercial building. This is because the tenant retains possession rights during the lease period. Even if rent has already been defaulted,
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Therefore, legally, if a tenant trespasses or disturbs the tenant's possession of the property, whether by entering without permission or blocking the tenant's entry or exit, the landlord is liable for criminal offenses under Section 362, which carries a penalty of up to one year imprisonment or a fine of up to 2,000 baht, or both. This also applies to civil violations under Section 420. Therefore, if a tenant wishes to do so, they must notify the tenant 15 days in advance or file an eviction lawsuit to terminate the lease.
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Thank you for the great information from DD Property.
___________________________________________
1. Landlords are not allowed to collect more than one month's rent in advance.
Advanced rent is a security deposit that most landlords collect to protect tenants from defaulting on rent or causing damage to the rental unit. Landlords typically collect two to three months' rent in advance (not including the security deposit).
However, in 2018, the Tenant Protection Act changed the law, prohibiting landlords from collecting more than one month's rent in advance. One month's rent in advance is sufficient to ensure that tenants cannot move out without paying the final month's rent when the lease ends. If tenants suspect that rent has been collected beyond this date and time, they can file a complaint and pursue legal action.
___________________________________________
2. Tenants have the right to terminate the lease at any time. But 30 days' notice is required.
Normally, renting a house or condo requires various terms and conditions that the landlord and tenant must abide by. The contract clearly specifies the date, time, and duration of the lease. This leads some tenants to believe that they cannot terminate the lease before the expiration date, fearing forfeiture of advance rent and penalties. However, the current Tenant Protection Act clearly stipulates tenants' rights: Tenants have the right to terminate the lease at any time, but must give the landlord 30 days' notice.
___________________________________________
3. Landlords cannot charge water and electricity bills exceeding actual usage.
Whether it's a rental house or condo, most landlords charge new rates based on the rates set by the landlord. Some landlords charge a fixed monthly rate, leaving tenants with no way to know how much water and electricity they're actually using.
Today, a new law has been enacted to protect tenants: landlords cannot charge water and electricity bills exceeding actual usage. Payments for water and electricity must be documented, reflecting actual usage, and landlords must notify tenants of this.
___________________________________________
4. Damages not caused by the tenant: The landlord or lessor is responsible.
Before renting a house or condo, the tenant has the right to inspect the condition of the materials and equipment inside the home or unit before moving in. If any damages or damages are found prior to moving in, the tenant can demand that the landlord repair them before moving in. This also applies to any damages within the unit that were not caused by the tenant, such as termites, water leaks, or broken air conditioners.
Under tenant protection law, the landlord is fully responsible for the entire duration of the lease. Therefore, if the landlord claims he or she will not pay the rent or labor for repairs, he or she can invoke this legal right.
___________________________________________
5. If the tenant fails to pay rent, the landlord has no right to trespass.
This right is crucial and frequently arises between landlords and tenants. Therefore, tenants and lessors should be aware that if the tenant defaults on rent or fails to pay rent as per the lease agreement, the landlord has no right to trespass without permission, even if the renter owns the rental property, whether a house, condo, or commercial building. This is because the tenant retains possession rights during the lease period. Even if rent has already been defaulted,
___________________________________________
Therefore, legally, if a tenant trespasses or disturbs the tenant's possession of the property, whether by entering without permission or blocking the tenant's entry or exit, the landlord is liable for criminal offenses under Section 362, which carries a penalty of up to one year imprisonment or a fine of up to 2,000 baht, or both. This also applies to civil violations under Section 420. Therefore, if a tenant wishes to do so, they must notify the tenant 15 days in advance or file an eviction lawsuit to terminate the lease.
___________________________________________
Thank you for the great information from DD Property.
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