If you are considering leasing property in Thailand there are a few important issues to remember before signing any agreement. Speak to an attorney in Bangkok with regards to leasehold agreements. Once you find the property in Thailand that you like and would be looking at leasing always speak to an attorney in Bangkok first as the agreements can only be valid for less than 30 years. This has to be stated in the lease agreement. You also need to ensure that the lease is registered with the Land Office if the lease is for longer than 3 years as that is the current law in Thailand.

The lease agreement will no doubt be in Thai and if you do not speak, read or write any Thai signing such an agreement is a disaster in the making. If you have not registered the lease being longer than 3 years, this can still be done. Even if the lease has already been signed and still hasn't been registered with the Land Office, it should be registered with the Land Office and registration will apply retroactively from the date of the start of the lease.

Both the landlord and the tenant must be present at the Land Office with the necessary documentation: the land title, ID card – or passport for a foreigner – and a house registration, or if the tenant is a company, the company registration, and an annual report. Lease agreements longer than 3 years are common in Thailand especially in Issaan and Bangkok where many expats lease a house or villa for a long term stay in the Kingdom. Speak to us online about a leasehold agreement or call us on our toll-free US or UK telephone numbers.