Rental law is local, and the gaps are wide. A Swiss landlord can hold three months' rent in a blocked account; a French landlord can ask for one month on an unfurnished flat; an English landlord is capped at five weeks; Florida sets no cap at all. Knowing the rules where you rent tells you which demands are normal and which you can refuse.
The numbers side by side
| Country | Cash deposit | Extra guarantees | Letting agency fee | Typical lease |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spain | 1 month | 2 months | Usually paid by the landlord | 5 years (7 if the landlord is a company) |
| Portugal | 2 months | 2 months | Usually paid by the landlord | Fixed-term leases must run at least one year and renew automatically unless the contract says otherwise. A landlord who blocks the first renewal can only make that take effect once three years have passed, unless they need the home for themselves or a child. |
| France | 1 month | None | Often split between landlord and tenant | 3 years unfurnished (6 if the landlord is a company); 1 year furnished (9 months for students); bail mobilité of 1–10 months for temporary stays |
| Italy | 3 months | None | Often split between landlord and tenant | 4+4 years on the free market (canone libero), 3+2 years on agreed-rent contracts (canone concordato); transitional contracts of 1–18 months for temporary needs |
| Switzerland | 3 months | None | Usually paid by the landlord | Usually open-ended, ending with at least three months' notice to the termination dates in the lease. |
| Monaco | 3 months | None | Usually paid by the tenant | Freely agreed, usually 1–3 years, renewing automatically; notice is usually due three months before the end, and early exit only if the lease allows it. |
| Croatia | – | None | Depends on the agency | Fixed-term or open-ended, as agreed in the written lease. On an open-ended lease the tenant gives three months' notice. |
| Greece | 2 months | None | Depends on the agency | At least 3 years for a home, even if the contract states a shorter term |
| Cyprus | 1 month | 1 month | Depends on the agency | Fixed-term contracts, commonly one year and renewable by agreement |
| United Kingdom | 1.2 months | None | Usually paid by the landlord | Open-ended (periodic) tenancy: since 1 May 2026 most private tenancies in England have no fixed term, and tenants can leave with two months' notice. |
| United Arab Emirates | 0.6 months | None | Usually paid by the tenant | One year, renewable, with the tenancy contract registered in Ejari (AED 177.75 online or AED 220 at a trustee centre). |
| United States | 1 month | 1 month | Depends on the agency | 12 months, then renewal or a month-to-month tenancy, which either side can end with 30 days' written notice. |
| Turkey | 3 months | None | Depends on the agency | One year. Unless the tenant gives notice, the lease renews on the same terms each year, and the landlord can end it only on legal grounds (such as needing the home for themselves or close family) or after a ten-year extension period. |
Lease length, income checks and rent increases
Spain
- Typical lease
- 5 years (7 if the landlord is a company)
- What landlords look for
- No legal income test; landlords usually ask for an employment contract or proof of income, recent payslips or a tax return, and bank statements.
- Rent increases
- Yearly updates on contracts signed since 26 May 2023 cannot exceed the INE's IRAV index (2.47% for August 2026). A decree in force since 8 October 2026 caps updates at 2% until the end of 2027 unless both sides agree otherwise, pending confirmation by parliament.
- Notes
- Seasonal lets (alquiler de temporada) carry a two-month deposit and no five-year right. Andalucía has declared no stressed areas, so the national rent caps do not apply there; other regions differ.
Portugal
- Typical lease
- Fixed-term leases must run at least one year and renew automatically unless the contract says otherwise. A landlord who blocks the first renewal can only make that take effect once three years have passed, unless they need the home for themselves or a child.
- What landlords look for
- Landlords ask for ID, a Portuguese tax number (NIF) and proof of income such as payslips, an employment contract or a tax return. Newcomers without Portuguese income are often asked for a guarantor (fiador) or advance rent within the legal caps.
- Rent increases
- Once a lease has run for a year, rent can rise once a year by the official coefficient (2.24% for 2026), with at least 30 days' written notice.
- Notes
- The deposit and any advance rent are each capped at two months' rent. The landlord must register the lease with the tax authority by the end of the month after it starts; since August 2025 the tenant can register it if the landlord has not.
France
- Typical lease
- 3 years unfurnished (6 if the landlord is a company); 1 year furnished (9 months for students); bail mobilité of 1–10 months for temporary stays
- What landlords look for
- Landlords and agents commonly look for net income of about three times the rent, or a guarantor in France or the state-backed Visale guarantee. The documents they may ask for are fixed by law and must be in French with amounts in euros.
- Rent increases
- If the lease allows, rent can be revised once a year by no more than the change in INSEE's rent reference index (IRL), which rose 1.15% in the year to the second quarter of 2026. Homes rated F or G on the energy certificate cannot have their rent increased.
- Notes
- Deposits are capped at one month's rent unfurnished and two months furnished (none on a bail mobilité), and the tenant's share of agency fees at €8.07–12.10 per m² plus €3.03 per m² for the check-in inventory. Paris and several other cities cap rents on new leases (Paris's scheme currently runs to 24 November 2026). Short-term holiday lets need a town-hall registration number, and in cities such as Paris a second home also needs a change-of-use permit.
Italy
- Typical lease
- 4+4 years on the free market (canone libero), 3+2 years on agreed-rent contracts (canone concordato); transitional contracts of 1–18 months for temporary needs
- What landlords look for
- Landlords usually want ID, a codice fiscale and proof of income such as two or three recent payslips or a tax return. Non-EU tenants must show they are legally resident.
- Rent increases
- If the contract allows, rent can be updated each year in line with ISTAT's consumer price index. A landlord who opts for the cedolare secca flat tax gives up all increases for that contract.
- Notes
- The deposit is capped by law at three months' rent and earns legal interest for the tenant. Agencies usually charge the tenant about one month's rent plus VAT, and the contract must be registered within 30 days. Short lets need a national identification code (CIN), and the 2026 budget law changed their flat-tax rates, so check the current rate with a tax adviser.
Switzerland
- Typical lease
- Usually open-ended, ending with at least three months' notice to the termination dates in the lease.
- What landlords look for
- No legal rule; landlords check your salary, residence permit and a debt-collection register extract.
- Rent increases
- Rents follow the national reference interest rate, 1.25% since September 2025; tenants can ask for a cut when it falls, and increases must be notified on an official form.
- Notes
- The deposit is capped at three months' rent and must be held in a blocked bank account in the tenant's name. Deposit-guarantee insurance is a common alternative to paying cash.
Monaco
- Typical lease
- Freely agreed, usually 1–3 years, renewing automatically; notice is usually due three months before the end, and early exit only if the lease allows it.
- What landlords look for
- No fixed income ratio. Agents ask for ID and a bank reference, usually from a Monaco bank, and landlords may want a year's rent in advance if you pay from a foreign account.
- Rent increases
- Set by the lease in the free sector; there is no general cap on free-sector rents.
- Notes
- Only the free sector is open to newcomers. The tenant pays the agency fee (10% of the first year's rent plus VAT) and a 1% lease duty on rent and charges for the whole lease; rent is usually paid quarterly in advance.
Croatia
- Typical lease
- Fixed-term or open-ended, as agreed in the written lease. On an open-ended lease the tenant gives three months' notice.
- What landlords look for
- Official guidance sets no income test. Landlords decide what proof to ask for, so have your passport, OIB and proof of income ready.
- Rent increases
- Rent changes only as the lease allows, so put any yearly increase in writing.
- Notes
- The lease must be in writing. Official guidance sets no standard deposit, so agree the amount and how it is returned in the lease. A home let for at least 10 months of the year as the tenant's permanent residence is exempt from the owner's property tax.
Greece
- Typical lease
- At least 3 years for a home, even if the contract states a shorter term
- What landlords look for
- Landlords usually ask for ID, a Greek tax number (AFM) and proof of income or employment. The lease is then declared online to the tax authority (AADE).
- Rent increases
- Rent and any yearly increase are set freely in the lease, so check the adjustment clause before you sign.
- Notes
- Deposits are usually one or two months' rent, with no legal cap. Short-term lets must be entered in AADE's short-term rental register and declared monthly, and homes bought for a golden visa cannot be let short-term.
Cyprus
- Typical lease
- Fixed-term contracts, commonly one year and renewable by agreement
- What landlords look for
- Landlords usually check ID, residence status and proof of income or employment, and may ask newcomers for a larger deposit.
- Rent increases
- Increases are set by the contract. For older homes under the Rent Control Law, increases are capped by law (6% between April 2023 and April 2025).
- Notes
- The Rent Control Law covers only homes completed before 29 December 1995 in controlled areas, so most newer rentals are governed purely by the contract. Evicting a tenant needs a court order, which can take months.
United Kingdom
- Typical lease
- Open-ended (periodic) tenancy: since 1 May 2026 most private tenancies in England have no fixed term, and tenants can leave with two months' notice.
- What landlords look for
- Agents usually want gross annual income of at least 30 times the monthly rent, or a guarantor earning about 36 times; newcomers without UK income or credit history are often asked for a UK guarantor.
- Rent increases
- No rent cap: the landlord can raise the rent once a year to the market level with at least two months' notice using a section 13 notice, and the tenant can challenge it at a tribunal.
- Notes
- The deposit is capped at 5 weeks' rent (6 weeks if the rent is £50,000 a year or more) and must be protected in a government scheme within 30 days; a holding deposit is capped at 1 week. Since 1 May 2026 landlords cannot ask for more than one month's rent in advance, bidding above the advertised rent is banned and section 21 no-fault evictions have ended. Scotland and Wales have separate tenancy laws.
United Arab Emirates
- Typical lease
- One year, renewable, with the tenancy contract registered in Ejari (AED 177.75 online or AED 220 at a trustee centre).
- What landlords look for
- There is no fixed income test; landlords mainly want the year's rent paid upfront, often split into one to four cheques, and registering the contract in Ejari at a trustee centre needs the tenant's Emirates ID.
- Rent increases
- At renewal, increases are capped by the Dubai rental index: none if your rent is within 10% of the area average, then 5%, 10%, 15% or 20% the further below average it is, and the landlord must give 90 days' notice before the contract ends.
- Notes
- Deposits are customarily 5% of the annual rent unfurnished and 10% furnished, and tenants usually pay the letting agent's commission. A landlord who wants the home back for their own use must give 12 months' notice.
United States
- Typical lease
- 12 months, then renewal or a month-to-month tenancy, which either side can end with 30 days' written notice.
- What landlords look for
- Landlords commonly look for monthly income of about three times the rent plus credit and background checks; without a US credit history, expect to be asked for extra money upfront.
- Rent increases
- No rent control: Florida law stops cities and counties from capping rents, so the landlord can reset the rent at each renewal.
- Notes
- Florida sets no cap on deposits, and first month, last month and a security deposit upfront is common. The landlord must return the deposit within 15 days, or send written notice of any claim within 30 days.
Turkey
- Typical lease
- One year. Unless the tenant gives notice, the lease renews on the same terms each year, and the landlord can end it only on legal grounds (such as needing the home for themselves or close family) or after a ten-year extension period.
- What landlords look for
- There is no standard income ratio; landlords may ask for a Turkish guarantor, proof of income and a Turkish tax number.
- Rent increases
- Annual increases on homes cannot exceed the 12-month average rise in consumer prices (TÜFE); after five years, either side can ask a court to set a market rent.
- Notes
- By law the deposit cannot exceed three months' rent and should be held in a bank account that needs both parties' consent to release. Agents' fees for rentals and who pays them vary, so agree them in writing before signing.
How deposits are protected
- Switzerland: the deposit must sit in a blocked bank account in your name; the landlord cannot touch it without your agreement or a court decision. Deposit-guarantee insurance is a common alternative to tying up cash.
- England: the landlord must protect your deposit in a government-approved scheme within 30 days and tell you which one. Disputes go to the scheme's free adjudication.
- Spain: the deposit (fianza) is one month on standard homes. In several regions the landlord must lodge it with a public body; in Andalucía, since January 2026, the landlord keeps it. Extra guarantees are capped at two months.
- France: one month unfurnished, two months furnished; the landlord must return it within one month if the inventory matches, or two months if not.
- Italy: capped at three months, and it earns legal interest for the tenant.
- Portugal: deposit and advance rent are each capped at two months.
- Dubai: customarily 5% of the year's rent unfurnished and 10% furnished.
Who pays the letting agent
In Spain and Switzerland the landlord pays. In Portugal it is usually the landlord. In England, letting fees for tenants are banned. In France the tenant's share is capped per square metre. In Italy, Monaco and Dubai, tenants usually pay: around one month's rent plus VAT in Italy, 10% of the first year's rent plus VAT in Monaco.
Rent increases
Most countries tie increases to an index during the lease: France's IRL, Italy's ISTAT index, Spain's IRAV, Portugal's yearly coefficient, Switzerland's reference interest rate. England has no cap but allows one increase a year with notice, which the tenant can challenge. Turkey caps increases at average inflation. Florida has no rent control.
Getting your deposit back
Do a full inventory at the start
Photos and video of every room, signed by both sides, with meter readings.
Report problems in writing during the tenancy
A leak you reported is the landlord's problem; one you hid is yours.
Give notice correctly
In writing, on time, to the address in the lease.
Clean and repair before you leave
Normal wear and tear is not your cost; broken things and dirt are.
Do the check-out inventory together
Compare against the first one, and get a signed copy.
Ask for the deposit in writing,
with your bank details and the legal deadline if there is one.
Questions people ask
The landlord asks for six months' deposit. Is that legal?
Not in Spain, France, Italy, Portugal, Switzerland or England for a standard home. Show them the cap and offer a guarantee instead.
Can the landlord enter while I live there?
Generally only with notice and for a reason, such as repairs. The lease and local law set the details.
What if I need to leave early?
Read the notice clause. Many countries let tenants leave with notice after a minimum period; others hold you to the term unless you find a replacement.
This guide is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules change; check the details with a local professional before you sign or pay anything.