Signing the rental contract or lease

The lease agreement (or rental agreement) outlines the rights and obligations of each party. It must be in writing and signed by the landlord and the tenant(s). A copy is drawn up for each party to the agreement.

Mandatory information in the rental agreement

The rental agreement must specify:

  • the name and address of the owner (or landlord) 
  • the name(s) of the tenant(s) 
  • the effective date of the contract and its duration 
  • the living area of ​​the dwelling 
  • a description of the accommodation and its amenities 
  • the amount of the rent, its payment terms and, where applicable, the revision terms 
  • the amount of rental charges and their payment terms 
  • the amount of the security deposit, if applicable 
  • the amount of agency fees, when a real estate agency is involved 
  • the amount of the last rent paid by the previous tenant, when required by regulations 
  • Information regarding rent control, when the property is located in an affected area 
  • a termination clause providing for the automatic termination of the contract under the conditions stipulated by law, particularly in the event of non-payment of rent or charges or non-payment of the security deposit 
  • when the accommodation is rented as a main residence, the statement indicating that it must be occupied as a main residence.

The standard lease agreement templates will change from October 1, 2026. These new templates will apply to contracts concluded or renewed from that date.

 

Please note

Once the rental contract has been signed, you'll need to pay the first month's rent, the security deposit and any agency fees.

For more information, see the "Installation costs" section of this site.

Published on 24 January 2024
Updated on 29 september 2026