What you pay up front
In Bangkok, where most published figures come from, the usual condo rental is a
The two condos we list in Central Pattaya show how terms differ from unit to unit. On 1 November 2026, a studio at The Trust Condo Central Pattaya was listed at THB 8,500 a month on a
Where the 2025 rules apply, the deposit and advance rent together may not exceed three months' rent on a
09Wi charges tenants nothing. We are paid by commission from the owner, so the deposit and rent go to the owner as set out in your contract.
The 2025 residential lease rules
The Contract Committee of the Office of the Consumer Protection Board made residential leasing a
- It covers any landlord renting out at least three residential units, including leases made through online platforms. The 2019 rules it replaced covered landlords with five or more.
- Hotels and dormitories are outside it.
- Contracts made under the 2019 rules stay valid until they expire.
Short-term means up to 3 years;long-term means over 3 years and up to 30 years, or the tenant's lifetime.- Breaches can bring up to 1 year in prison, a fine of up to THB 200,000, or both.
An owner renting out a single condo is not covered. Even so, the rules make a fair benchmark when you negotiate with any landlord, and older articles quoting a
Getting your deposit back
Under the 2025 rules a covered landlord must return the deposit as soon as the lease ends. If an inspection is needed, the deadline is 7 days when there is no damage, or 14 days when there is damage, after the repair costs are deducted. Nothing may be deducted for normal wear and tear. Keeping a deposit when the tenant is not at fault, charging a renewal fee and locking a tenant out are all prohibited.
Whoever your landlord is, protect yourself at
What to check in the contract
- Names, passport numbers, the unit number and the building.
- The term, the monthly rent, the deposit and advance amounts, and the date rent is due.
- What the rent includes: furniture, appliances, the building's common fee, internet, cleaning.
- How electricity and water are billed. Covered landlords may not charge above the official tariffs and must send invoices at least 3 days before the due date.
- Early exit. Under the 2025 rules a tenant on a fixed term may leave early after living there for at least half the term, with 30 days' notice and all payments cleared.
- Renewal: how the next term and rent are agreed.
- Who files TM30, and the building's house rules on pets, guests and parking.
A lease of more than 3 years must be in writing and registered at the Land Office, or it can only be enforced for 3 years. Registration costs 1% of the total rent for the term plus 0.1% stamp duty, and landlords usually ask the tenant to pay it.
TM30: reporting where you stay
Under Section 38 of the Immigration Act, the house master, owner or possessor of the place where a foreigner stays must notify immigration within 24 hours on form TM30. Where there is no immigration office, the local police station is notified. For a rented condo or house, that duty falls on the landlord, and the fine is up to THB 2,000 (THB 2,000 to 10,000 for hotel managers).
After a 2020 change, the landlord does not need to file again each time the same foreigner returns to the same place within the period already reported. Filing can be done in person, by post, or online through immigration.go.th or the Section38 app. In July 2026 immigration reminded landlords that the
Daily and weekly stays
Commentators read the Hotel Act as treating paid stays of under 30 days as hotel operation, which needs a hotel licence. Many condominium buildings also ban
Choosing where to rent
Jomtien is mostly condominiums along a long beach, with many
Na Jomtien, further south in Sattahip District, has poorer public transport links to Pattaya, which matters if you will not drive. For a tighter budget, look at monthly rooms for rent; for space and a garden, houses for rent.
