Guide · Renting

Renting an apartment in Thailand: lease and deposit

Last updated: October 2026 · Prince Properties Pattaya

Most disputes over rented homes in Thailand are not about the rent but about the security deposit: how much it may be, what the landlord may deduct, and when it comes back. Know the rules before you sign and document the move-in properly, and you will usually get every baht back.

How much is the deposit in Thailand?

Do not confuse the deposit (Thai: เงินประกัน) with key money (เงินกินเปล่า) – rare for homes, common for shops, and unlike a deposit it is not refunded.

Rules for landlords

Since 2018, residential leasing by businesses has been a "controlled contract" under Thai consumer protection law. For landlords letting several units (since the 2019 amendment, five or more units) in particular:

• deposit plus advance rent may not exceed three months' rent,
• the deposit must be returned within 7 days of the lease ending, minus proven damage,
• electricity and water may only be charged at the actual utility rate,
• tenants may terminate early with 30 days' notice once more than half the term has passed.

Important: an individual owner letting a single condo usually does not fall under these rules. Then the contract is what counts – so make sure it covers everything that matters.

What belongs in the lease

• names and passport numbers of both parties; for condos, proof that the landlord owns the unit,
• term, rent, due date and deposit amount with refund deadline,
• how electricity and water are billed (rate per kWh!),
• who pays for repairs (air-con servicing, appliances, wear and tear),
• termination rules for both sides and what happens to the deposit on early move-out,
• an inventory list as an annex – furniture, appliances, condition.

Leases are often bilingual Thai/English; in a dispute the Thai version usually prevails. Have unclear clauses translated before signing.

How to get your deposit back

1. At move-in: photos and video of every room, meter readings, existing damage noted in the inventory and countersigned by the landlord.
2. During the lease: report damage immediately; keep receipts for air-con cleaning (usually every 6 months).
3. Before moving out: agree a joint inspection date, hand over the unit clean, settle final bills.
4. At the inspection: deductions only for real damage, not normal wear – compare with your move-in photos. Put the refund date in writing.

If the deposit does not arrive, start with a written reminder and deadline.

Consumer protection: the OCPB (สคบ.)

Thailand's consumer protection authority is the Office of the Consumer Protection Board (OCPB, Thai: สำนักงานคณะกรรมการคุ้มครองผู้บริโภค, short สคบ.). It enforces the rules for business residential leasing and accepts complaints from tenants – foreigners included.

When the OCPB helps: when the landlord lets commercially (five or more units) and, for example, does not refund the deposit within 7 days, overcharges for electricity, or took more than three months' rent as deposit plus advance. The authority mediates between tenant and landlord and can impose sanctions.

What you need for a complaint: the lease, payment receipts for deposit and rent, the handover protocol with photos, your written reminder and a passport copy. If language is a barrier, we help with translation and the form.

Private landlords (a single condo unit) usually fall outside the OCPB rules. After an unsuccessful reminder, the small-claims court remains – though pointing this out is often enough.

We review leases before you sign, handle move-in and move-out with a written protocol and take care of the TM30 registration. Renting with Prince Properties · current rentals · cost of living in Pattaya.