Renting Year-Round in Las Terrenas: Budget, Lease and Checks

Spending a year in Las Terrenas before buying, moving for work or retiring: a year-round rental is often the first step. This guide explains how to go about it, what to budget for and what the law says since 2025. Last updated: 25 October 2026. This is not legal advice.

Annual, monthly or vacation rental: what is the difference?

Our agency offers annual rentals and vacation rentals. To compare more private listings from one to twelve months, also see Casa Terrenas, a site run by the same operator that specializes in long-term rentals.

What does Law 85-25 say?

Law 85-25 on Property Rentals and Evictions was enacted on 14 August 2025 and published in Official Gazette No. 11211 of 15 August 2025. It replaces the old rent rules, including Law 4314 of 1955. What it provides:

• Deposit: for a home, it is capped at two months' rent. For commercial premises, the parties agree the amount. If the landlord keeps all or part of the deposit because the property was not returned in the agreed condition, they must give the reasons in writing within five calendar days of getting the property back, with objective evidence such as photos or repair quotes (Article 16).
• Written lease: strongly recommended to record the agreed terms (parties, property, term, rent). The law also contemplates verbal leases: Article 9 gives them a presumed term. With our agency, the lease is always in writing.
• Registration: the landlord or the tenant registers the lease with the Oficina de Registro Civil y Conservaduría de Hipotecas of the town hall where the property is located, which makes it enforceable against third parties (Article 14). Registration is not a condition for the lease to exist.
• Eviction: only by court order. Cutting off the water or changing the locks is not a legal procedure.
• Rentals for tourism or leisure lasting 90 days or less: outside the scope of the law (Article 2).

This summarizes a recent law that is still bedding in. If in doubt, or in a dispute, consult a lawyer.

What should you budget for?

Rent is only part of the cost. Before you sign, get each item confirmed in writing:

1. The rent, its currency (dollars or pesos) and the payment date.
2. The deposit, two months' rent at most, and the terms for getting it back.
3. Rent paid in advance on move-in, if any.
4. Agency and lease fees. Under Law 85-25 (Article 7), the brokerage commission is paid by whoever hired the broker, and any rental listing is presumed to have been ordered by the owner. The legal costs of the lease are split equally between landlord and tenant.
5. Electricity. In Las Terrenas it is supplied by a private concession holder, Luz y Fuerza. If the account is in your name, a deposit is required. Air conditioning has a big impact on the bill.
6. Water, gas and internet: included or not, and in whose name.
7. HOA fees, pool and garden upkeep, security.

We do not publish an average rent in this guide. The rents in our listings, with their date, are shown on each listing.

What should you check before signing?

• Backup power: inverter, batteries, generator or solar panels, and what they actually run.
• Water: tank (cisterna), pump, pressure, and what happens if the mains supply fails.
• Internet: measure the speed inside the home during your working hours.
• Access: condition of the road in the rain, lighting, parking.
• Noise: bars, building sites, dogs, the neighbor's rooster. Visit in the evening.
• House rules: pets, subletting, guests, alterations.
• Hurricane season, 1 June to 30 November according to INDOMET: ask whether the home has storm shutters or other protection.

On move-in, do a dated inventory with photos, signed by both parties, and note the meter readings.

How does renting through the agency work?

1. You tell us what you need: dates, budget, area, number of people, pets, furnished or not.
2. Adriana suggests homes that match, with photos and written terms.
3. You view them, in person or by video if you are still abroad.
4. The lease is drafted and reviewed by both sides before any payment.
5. Move-in happens with an inventory and the handover of keys.

Have your passport ready and, if the landlord asks, proof of income or references. Never pay anything before you have seen the home, at least by video, and read the lease.

Staying a year: check your immigration status

Renting a home gives you no right to stay. If you enter as a tourist, your permitted stay is limited. Ask about extensions or residency at the Dirección General de Migración before you sign a long lease.

Renting before buying: a good idea?

For many buyers, yes. A year on the ground lets you get to know the areas in high and low season, test the electricity and internet, and take time to check a property properly. Read our guide to Las Terrenas neighborhoods to focus your search.

Owners: rent out your property year-round

Do you own a house or condo in Las Terrenas and want to rent it out by the year? Submit it through our owner form or message Adriana on WhatsApp at +1 809 258 6052. A written lease that follows Law 85-25 protects the owner too.

Frequently asked questions

How much is the deposit on an annual rental?

For a home, two months' rent at most, under Law 85-25. The amount and the refund terms must be written in the lease.

Does the lease have to be in writing?

It is strongly recommended, and our agency only rents with a written lease. Law 85-25 also contemplates verbal leases (Article 9), but a written lease remains the best proof of what was agreed. If Spanish is not your language, ask for a translation before signing and keep a signed copy.

Can the landlord make me leave without going to court?

No. Under Law 85-25, an eviction requires a court order. In a dispute, consult a lawyer.

Does Law 85-25 apply to vacation rentals?

Not to rentals for tourism or leisure lasting 90 days or less (Article 2 of the law).