Tenant's Guide: Contract, Deposit, Rights and Common Pitfalls

The rental market moves fast: good apartments get rented within days. But haste shouldn't cost you your deposit.

Before handing over any money

• Verify who the owner actually is: request the land registry extract (*carte funciară* — the official property title document) or at least compare the name on their ID with the name on the utility bills. Unauthorized subletting is the most common scam.
• Visit in the evening: listen to the neighbors, check the street lighting, see the real parking situation.
• Test everything: hot water pressure, the heating system (centrala — the individual gas boiler common in Romanian apartments), every outlet, mobile phone signal in each room.

The contract: what it must include

• Duration and termination conditions (usually: 30 days' notice from either party).
• Rent amount, currency, payment date, and who pays utilities and building maintenance fees.
• The deposit: amount (usually 1, maximum 2 months' rent), the conditions under which it can be withheld, and the deadline for returning it when you leave.
• A handover report (proces-verbal de predare) with dated photos of every room and the utility meter readings — attached to the contract. Without this, any discussion about the deposit when you move out becomes your word against theirs.
• An inventory of items (appliances, furniture) with their condition noted.

Registration with the tax authority (ANAF)

The landlord is legally required to declare the rental income; a registered contract also gives you proof of a legal address (useful for: enrolling a child in school, residency applications, loans). If the landlord refuses any written contract — walk away. You have no protection whatsoever.

When rent can increase

Only as stated in the contract. Without an indexation clause, the rent cannot be unilaterally changed during the contract term. At renewal, everything is negotiable — come prepared with data: you can check the median rent for your area on 360imobiliar, on the city page and in the market report.

How to get your deposit back

1. Give written notice of your departure, respecting the notice period in the contract.

2. Schedule the handover: same photos, same angles as when you moved in.

3. Normal wear and tear (yellowed paint, worn carpet) CANNOT be deducted from the deposit; actual damage (broken doors, paint stains) can.

4. Request the refund in writing, with a deadline. If the landlord refuses without justification, you'll have the handover report plus photos = a solid case for mediation or court (the small claims procedure, for amounts under 10,000 lei — roughly €2,000 — is simple and inexpensive).

Warning signs

Being asked to transfer the deposit to someone other than the owner; refusing to let you view the property because "it's rented but will be vacated soon"; a price well below market with stories about the owner moving abroad. Comparing with real market data protects you: if the rent is 30% below the median, ask yourself why.