Thailand Rental Renewal Checklist

Answer first

Start before the notice deadline. Put the renewed term, rent, deposit balance, utilities, maintenance, inventory, access and next termination process into one signed document rather than relying on messages or continued occupancy. A renewal signed from 4 September 2025 is a new lease for the 2025 notification, it is not a continuation of the 2018 rule that was replaced on that date.

Which commercial terms should be confirmed?

new term and start date;
rent and payment method;
deposit carried forward;
utilities and service charges;
notice and early-exit terms.

Which property records should be refreshed?

condition report;
inventory;
meter readings;
keys and cards;
outstanding repairs.

What does the 2025 lease-control rule change at renewal?

The Notification of the Contract Committee Re: The Stipulation of Residential Property Leasing as a Contract-Controlled Business B.E. 2568 (2025) was published in the Government Gazette on 6 June 2025 and took effect on 4 September 2025. It replaced the 2018 notification (later restated in 2019) on 4 September 2025. It applies to a lessor with at least three residential units. Hotels and dormitories are excluded. Leases arranged online are covered. A lease signed under the old notification stays enforceable until it expires; a renewal or new lease signed from 4 September 2025 must comply.

no renewal fee;
no mid-term change to rent or service charges, a new rent belongs in the renewed document, not in a unilateral notice during the current term;
advance rent and deposit together cannot exceed 3 months' rent on a short-term lease (up to 3 years) or a long-term lease paid monthly, or 1 year's rent on a long-term lease paid annually;
written invoices for rent, utilities and service fees at least 3 days before the due date, with cost data open to the tenant;
a jointly signed move-in (or renewal) condition report, photos optional, attached to the lease;
deposit returned immediately at the end of the renewed term; 7 days if an inspection finds no damage; 14 days if repair costs are deducted first;
tenant early termination on a fixed-term lease after occupying at least 50% of the term, with 30 days' written notice and payments cleared;
lessor termination with at least 30 days' written notice, or 7 days for urgent misconduct that affects other lessees;
no inspection without prior notice except in an emergency; no lockout or seizure of belongings without a lawful termination; no charging the tenant for normal wear and tear.

Non-compliance can carry up to 1 year's imprisonment, a fine of up to THB 200,000, or both. A landlord with one or two units is not automatically covered, write the renewal terms anyway rather than assuming the notification fills the gaps.

See renewing or ending a lease in Thailand for the notice and termination rules behind this checklist, understanding your Thai lease agreement for what the renewed contract should cover, and security deposits in Thailand for how the deposit carries forward.

Continue through Relocate, Learn and the directory.

Sign the renewal before the deadline.

Keep the new agreement with the original lease and inventory.

Find rental support

Frequently asked questions

Should renewal be agreed before the lease ends?

Yes. Confirm notice, rent, deposit, repair and handover terms in writing before the existing term expires.

Does staying automatically create the same terms?

Do not assume so. Obtain written confirmation of the renewed arrangement. A renewal signed from 4 September 2025 must follow the current 2025 notification if the landlord leases at least three residential units, even if the original lease was signed under the older rule.

Should the inventory be updated?

Yes. Record material condition, furniture and access-device changes. For a covered landlord a jointly signed condition report is already a required part of the lease, so a renewal is the moment to refresh it rather than let the original walkthrough stand for another year.

Can a covered landlord charge a fee to renew?

No. The 2025 Contract Committee notification, which replaced the 2018/2019 rule on 4 September 2025, makes a renewal fee a prohibited term for a lessor with at least three residential units. Hotels and dormitories are excluded.

Can the landlord raise the rent mid-term, then roll that rise into the renewal?

Not during the current term, if the landlord is covered. Mid-term changes to rent or service charges are prohibited. A new rent can be agreed for the renewed term and written into the new document; it cannot be imposed while the existing term is still running.

If I do not want to renew, how do I leave a covered fixed-term lease early?

After occupying at least 50% of the term, give 30 days' written notice and clear outstanding payments. That early-exit path is a mandatory term of the 2025 notification for covered leases. A landlord who wants to end a covered lease needs at least 30 days' written notice, or 7 days for urgent misconduct that affects other lessees.

Does an old lease keep the old deposit-return clock after 4 September 2025?

A lease signed under the prior notification stays enforceable until it expires. A renewal or a new lease signed from 4 September 2025 must follow the current rule: deposit back immediately at lease end, or within 7 days if an inspection finds no damage, or 14 days if repair costs are deducted first.

Sources & References

Primary and official sources are cited above. Government rules, fees and procedures in Thailand change over time and vary by office; always confirm current requirements with the relevant authority before relying on them. BAANLYY never takes paid placement in editorial content.

By the BAANLYY Editorial Team

Last updated 7 November 2026 · Last reviewed 7 November 2026