The Basic Requirements for a Legally binding Lease Agreement

Ir-Rekwiżiti Bażiċi għal Ftehim ta' kiri Legalment vinkolanti

In Malta, a lease contract must be in writing and should be registered with the Malta Landlord and Tenant Board within one month of the start of the lease. The agreement should include the following elements in order to be legally binding:

1. The identification information of the landlord and tenant such as the name, surname and identity card number;
2. The address of the rented property;
3. The length of the lease term;
4. The amount of rent and when it is due;
5. The security deposit amount and any terms for its return;
6. The conditions under which the lease can be terminated by either party;
7. Any other terms and conditions agreed upon by the landlord and tenant;

In addition, most of the times it is advised that the landlords provide tenants with a detailed inventory of the property and its contents at the beginning of the lease.

One must keep in mind that the landlord during a lease agreement will be responsible and has to ensure that the property is in a habitable condition. This means that all the extraordinary repairs are to be carried out by the landlord in a timely manner unless agreed otherwise. On the other hand, tenants are responsible for keeping the property in a clean and orderly condition and for reporting any repairs that need to be made.

Regards,
Dr Clara Farrugia Grixti
Notary Public, Malta.

F'Malta, kiri kuntratt irid ikun bil-miktub u għandu jkun reġistrat mal-Bord ta' Malta Sid il-kera u Kerrej fi żmien xahar mill-bidu taż- kiri. Il-ftehim għandu jinkludi l-elementi li ġejjin sabiex ikun legalment vinkolanti:

1. L-informazzjoni ta’ identifikazzjoni taż- sid il-kera u kerrej bħall-isem, il-kunjom u n-numru tal-karta tal-identità;
2. L-indirizz taz- proprjetà mikrija;
3. It-tul tat-terminu kiri;
4. L-ammont tal-kera u meta tkun dovuta;
5. L-ammont tad-depożitu tas-sigurtà u kwalunkwe terminu għar-ritorn tiegħu;
6. Il-kundizzjonijiet li taħthom iż- kiri jista' jiġi tterminat minn kwalunkwe parti;
7. Kwalunkwe termini u kundizzjonijiet oħra miftiehma miż- sid il-kera u kerrej;

Barra minn hekk, ħafna drabi huwa avżat li s-sidien jipprovdu lill-kerrejja inventarju dettaljat taż- proprjetà u l-kontenut tiegħu fil-bidu taż- kiri.

Wieħed irid iżomm f’moħħu li ż- sid il-kera waqt ftehim ta' kiri testment ikun responsabbli u jrid jiżgura li ż- proprjetà ikun f’kundizzjoni abitabbli. Dan ifisser li t-tiswijiet straordinarji kollha jridu jsiru miż- sid il-kera fil-ħin sakemm ma jkunx miftiehem mod ieħor. Min-na[a l-o[ra, il-kerrejja huma responsabbli biex i]ommu ]- proprjetà f’kundizzjoni nadifa u ordnata u biex jirrappurtaw kull tiswijiet li jkun hemm b]onn isiru.

Regards,
Dr Clara Farrugia Grixti
Nutar pubbliku, Malta.