House and Apartment Lease Agreement and Instructions (Thailand, Bilingual EN-TH)
Renting a house is not like renting a condominium unit: there is a garden, sometimes a pool, a water pump, a septic tank, a fence, and nobody looks after them unless the lease says who does. Most disputes are about the deposit and the condition of the house at the end. This pack gives you two documents: a lease that is fair to both sides and settles these points in advance, and plain instructions to complete it, sign it, stamp it and use it correctly under Thai law. It follows the consumer protection rules on residential leases in force since 4 September 2025.
1. The House and Apartment Lease Agreement
Word file to fill in on your computer and PDF to fill in by hand, 16 pages, English and Thai clause by clause, with initials boxes on every page, a signature page for the Lessor, the Lessee and two witnesses, and two annexes.
- The property, its use, the occupants and pets
- Term of up to 3 years, renewal only by a new written agreement, and what happens if the tenant stays on
- Rent, late interest, and withholding tax when the tenant is a company
- Security deposit and advance rent: refund within 7 days after the keys are returned, deductions explained in writing with evidence, balance within 14 days at the latest
- Utilities at the supplier’s price, land and building tax paid by the owner
- A table for the garden, the pool, air conditioners, pests and termites, the septic tank, the water pump and the housing estate fees: who arranges and who pays
- Care and repairs: what the tenant does, what the owner repairs, and what happens if a repair is not done
- Access by the owner with 24 hours’ notice
- Leaving early, as tick boxes: a diplomatic clause with 30 or 60 days’ notice after a minimum period, or loss of the deposit
- Breach, 15 days’ notice for unpaid rent, and no lock out or cutting of utilities
- Return of the property, belongings left behind (written notice and 30 days of storage), sale of the property, TM30 report for a foreign tenant, stamp duty
- A declaration by owners who rent out 3 or more units, which switches on the stricter consumer rules automatically
- Annex 1: condition of the property and inventory. Annex 2: check-in and check-out record with meter readings, keys, deposit received and deposit returned
2. The Instructions
PDF, 14 pages, complete English text then complete Thai text, so that the owner and the tenant read the same thing.
- When to use this pack, and when to use the condominium lease, the 30 year lease or the land lease instead
- Thai lease law in plain words: written evidence, the 3 year rule, repairs, unpaid rent, sublease, sale of the house, no self help eviction
- The 2025 consumer rules for owners with 3 or more rental units: deposit cap, refund deadlines, notice periods, forbidden terms
- The choices to make, clause by clause
- Who usually looks after the garden, the pool, pests, the septic tank and the estate fees
- Signing: two originals, initials on every page, two witnesses, companies and powers of attorney
- Stamp duty step by step, taxes on rent, and withholding tax
- The TM30 report for a foreign tenant
- The end of the lease and the return of the deposit
- Common mistakes, and a checklist
Who it is for
Owners, Thai or foreign, who rent out a house, a townhouse, an apartment or a room as a home, and tenants who want a fair written lease in both languages. It is not for a condominium unit (see our condominium lease pack), a lease of more than 3 years, a shop or an office, or daily and weekly rental.
A template, not legal advice
We are a Thai law firm and we do not advise on foreign law. This pack is a template with general instructions, and using it does not create a lawyer and client relationship. If you need legal advice or a personalised lease, our lawyers can prepare it: ask us for a quote at info@thailawonline.com. A consultation is 2,000 THB per hour.
Related guides: Lease agreement in Thailand, Automatic renewal of a lease in Thailand, TM30 notification in Thailand, Condominium Lease Agreement pack.
