Property
Renting in the Philippines: lease, deposit, rent increases and eviction
Sign a lease that protects you, get your deposit back, check whether a rent increase is legal, react to a lockout or an eviction case, and, as a landlord, recover your unit lawfully.
Last verified: 2026-10
Situations covered (13)
- Residential lease: written, inspected, deposit capped
- Commercial lease: the contract decides almost everything
- Land lease: 25 years renewable, or longer for registered investors
- Deposit not returned: demand in writing, barangay, then small claims
- Rent of ₱10,000 or less: increase capped at 1% in 2026
- Above ₱10,000 or commercial: the contract governs increases
- Lockout or utilities cut: illegal without a court order
- Demand to vacate or ejectment case: strict deadlines
- Property sold: your lease may survive the sale
- Repairs not done: notify in writing before acting
- Getting your unit back: demand, barangay, then the court
- Keeping part of the deposit: justify every deduction
- Renting out as a foreign owner: register the income and follow the condo rules
Sources
- Republic Act No. 9653 (Rent Control Act of 2009) — Lawphil
- Philstar Property — 1% cap on rent increases for 2026 (December 2025)
- Civil Code of the Philippines, Book IV, lease (Arts. 1642–1688) — Lawphil
- Batas Natin — Small claims up to ₱1,000,000 (Rules on Expedited Procedures, 2022)
- Batas Natin — Rent Control Act: coverage, cap and ejectment protections