# Renting from Ownser



## surfrider (Oct 4, 2011)

This has been my personal experience. I rented a house in San Cristobal with no rental contract. Should also add here that I am knowledgeable in Real Estate Law. I suggested I write a contract and owner said no reason to. I let it go.
Rented a house in Chapala area - no contract. Wrote contract and owner was in the states so I sent him the contract and he did not even care to sign it and send it back. lived there for about one year. 
Rented a house in an area by Patzcuaro again no contract and again suggested I write one up for the owner. No. Owner helped move us in - owner gave me the keys Then owners wife went nuts and wanted a contract and first and last and it was just horrible. We had to leave there within hours pack up everything and find another place. What a mess.
Found another place but owner is not in town and her sister rented to us - no contract. Again owner will come later with contract.
RECOMMENDATION. Rent from a real estate office with a rental division and have a contract before you move in. This really is real estate law and P.S. there is a real good reason for the law. With rents - real estate is no different in Mexico than in the states. Nothing is valid unless it is in writing.


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## Longford (May 25, 2012)

surfrider said:


> This has been my personal experience. I rented a house in San Cristobal with no rental contract. Should also add here that I am knowledgeable in Real Estate Law. I suggested I write a contract and owner said no reason to. I let it go.
> Rented a house in Chapala area - no contract. Wrote contract and owner was in the states so I sent him the contract and he did not even care to sign it and send it back. lived there for about one year.
> Rented a house in an area by Patzcuaro again no contract and again suggested I write one up for the owner. No. Owner helped move us in - owner gave me the keys Then owners wife went nuts and wanted a contract and first and last and it was just horrible. We had to leave there within hours pack up everything and find another place. What a mess.
> Found another place but owner is not in town and her sister rented to us - no contract. Again owner will come later with contract.
> RECOMMENDATION. Rent from a real estate office with a rental division and have a contract before you move in. This really is real estate law and P.S. there is a real good reason for the law. With rents - real estate is no different in Mexico than in the states. Nothing is valid unless it is in writing.


Mostly, I don't think your recommendation is realistic. Relatively few houses/apartments for rent in Mexico are rented through a realtor or agency. In parts of Mexico, such as the D.F., landlords are required by law / regulation to enter into a written rental agreement and the agreement has to, or is supposed to, be provided to the taxing body or, in the least, taxes paid on the rental income. I don't know in how many other locations this is a requirement. I rented a small apartment in San Miguel de Allende on a handshake with the onsite owner (and never had a problem). Written agreement or not, disputes can be settled by, if you feel you are victimized, filing a complaint with PROFECO .. the attorney general for consumer affairs. And contracts in Mexico, rental agreements, are written in Spanish ... which, in my experience / observation ... is not well understood by most expats I've encountered.


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