SANTO DOMINGO – Following the changes made in the Senate, the Chamber of Deputies passed the Real Estate Rentals and Evictions bill into law on Tuesday, August 5, after determining that the modifications made by the Senate did not alter the nature of the legislation.
Alfredo Pacheco, president of the Lower House and author of the proposal that seeks to adapt to the new needs of the rental market in the country, explained that despite the variations that the bill underwent in the Senate, it continues to maintain a balance between tenants and landlords
“This bill adds to the number of initiatives we have been submitting from the National Congress for the benefit of the Dominican people. For over 30 years, Dominican society has been demanding a rental law. We have spoken with people of all political persuasions here,” Pacheco commented.
The initiative aims to regulate the relationships, conditions and legal obligations arising from the rental of real estate intended for housing, commerce or non-profit activities.
Article 2 of the initiative details that this law applies to rental contracts, with the exception of rural properties, boarding houses and lodging, parks or companies in free zones that operate under the current law, as well as rentals of properties for tourist or recreational purposes, whose duration is no more than ninety days, in addition to the State's assets given in rental or lease and any commercial activity governed by special law.
Article 7 stipulates that the brokerage commission will be paid by the party contracting the service. Any listing or offer for renting a property is presumed to have been ordered or contracted by its owner. The paragraph concerning legal expenses related to the rental agreement states that these will be shared equally between the landlord or their representative and the tenant or their representative.
Article 8 also states that the adjustment of the rental price of the property will be subject to the agreement between the parties; if the property is intended for housing and the adjustment has not been expressly agreed upon, it may not exceed 10% of the rent amount.
