Step 3: Confirming the Rental

Sign a tenancy agreement

For renting an apartment in Macao, the law requires the lessee and the lessor to sign a written contract (tenancy agreement), and the signatures of both parties need to be notarized and confirmed. If no written contract was established or the signatories to the contract were not notarized, it might lead to the invalidity of the relevant real estate lease contract. Please click on the links below to learn more about Macao's relevant tenancy legislation:

• Macao SAR Legal Affairs Knowledge of the leasing law (Content in Chinese only)
• Macao SAR Legal Affairs Online Legal Discussion Platform - Is a written contract mandatory for property leasing? (Content in Chinese only)
• Macao Daily News Notes on the tenancy agreement (Content in Chinese only)

Notes for tenants

• The rent can be settled in Hong Kong dollars or Macau patacas (MOP); the specific currency or payment method needs to be negotiated with the landlord;
• The rent will be paid according to the amount agreed between the two parties and agreed in the tenancy agreement;
• For renting an apartment in Macao, it is generally necessary to pay an additional rent equivalent to one month to two months’ rent as a tenancy deposit when paying rent for the first time; the specific amount needs to be negotiated with the owner, and it is recommended to indicate this in the agreement;
• Note if the rental unit is “fully-furnished” (basic furniture and electrical appliances in the whole house included), or “half-furnished” (only some furniture and electrical appliances included), or “not furnished” (no furniture and appliances in the unit). It is recommended to list it on the agreement to avoid future disputes. For furniture and electrical appliances that have already been damaged at the time of moving in, it is recommended to take photos in advance as evidence and notify the lessor as soon as possible;
• Before signing the tenancy agreement, the lessee and lessor are advised to clarify the maintenance obligations in the apartment and to clarify the party responsible for housing-related expenses;
• The lessee and lessor are advised to clarify the maintenance obligations in the apartment before signing the tenancy agreement;
• With the consent of both parties, the tenancy agreement may be terminated regardless of whether the tenancy period has expired or not. If the lessee unilaterally proposes to terminate the tenancy agreement, it must be submitted in writing to the lessor at least 90 days in advance;
• If the parties do not explicitly specify the tenancy period in the tenancy agreement, the tenancy period will be treated as 1 year;
• The lessee shall retain a copy of the contract and payment receipt.