November 10, 2009 - Costa Rica rentals are easy to acquire in Costa Rica and is a great way solution to experience living in Costa Rica without having to buy real estate first.  Many expats living in Costa Rica choose to rent a house in Costa Rica first before deciding to purchase a house in Costa Rica.

They do so wisely because many people experience a culture shock after moving to Costa Rica and when they do decide to leave the country, they are stuck with a house that may or may not be easy to sell depending on the economy.

If renting a house in Costa Rica is what you have in mind, you need to first know about your rights as a renter in Costa Rica.

The first thing to know is that when signing a rental agreement, the contract agreement time agreement is there to protect the renter from being evicted.  This means that if you have a 2 year contract, it does not mean that you have to stay there for 2 years.  It means that the landlord has to rent the property to you for 2 years.

Second, if thoeir is a problem in the rental property and 10 days after notifying the landlord the problem has not been fixed, the tenant can fix the problem and deduct it from the rent.

Things to keep in mind is that you should keep all records of every transactions.  Emails can be used as proof that as a notification method but it must be a printd copy.

Use common sense as you would in the United State.  Before you move in a new apatment or house in Costa Rica, check for any problems and even have a professional check the electrical wiring and plumbing and structure.  If after moving in there is a major structural flaw that was hidden or not mentioned before, you can get a judge to lower the rent for you.

For more information about Costa Rica Rental Property laws, please contact Mike Meehan at: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Mike Meehan is an expat that has been living in Costa Rica for over 5 years and owns a real estate company in Costa Rica as well as a few other businesses.  He prides himself in having integrated himself with the country and his people and can be contacted at: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it