What are your rights as a tenant in Morocco?

As a tenant, you have rights that your landlord should respect.

• The right to enjoy housing in good condition

When you rent a house or an apartment, it is your right to require you to live in a house in good condition. The owner is obliged to always ensure the condition of the premises. He is also in charge of the equipment mentioned in the rental contract: cupboards, refrigerator, oven, dishwasher,...

However, when you visit the premises, before signing the lease, if you notice that the accommodation is not in good condition, you can negotiate, with the owner, the taking over of the work as well as its execution. However, in this case, it is advisable to provide an express clause on possible renovations. It should specify:

• The nature of all the work you have done.
• How the two parties resolved the issue of allocating the cost of the work to rent.
• The number of months over which the charge is made.
• Your compensation if you have to leave the home before the end of the imputation period.

In addition, the lessor must proceed regularly to maintain the home. It is his duty to do major repair work. The tenant, for his part, takes care of minor routine maintenance and minor repairs. But what work is the landlord responsible for? The owner must:

• Carry out repairs that are urgent.
• Carry out work to improve the common areas of the building.
• Ensure that the housing is maintained in good condition by regularly carrying out maintenance work.
• Ensure the proper functioning of the home's energy system.

Before each start of work, The owner must submit to his tenant a notification intended to inform him about the work to be carried out. This notification must be made by letter which must be delivered by hand or by registered mail.

When carrying out the work, the tenant is obliged to provide access to his home, except for weekends and public holidays. If the work lasts more than 21 days, it is also possible for him to negotiate a rent reduction during the month.

• The right to have a formal contract

A rental contract is a contract that binds two parties, the tenant and the lessor. It must specify the name and address of the latter, the date of signature of the contract and the duration of the rental. It is important to know that a rental contract has an average duration of 3 years for a natural person and 6 years for a legal entity.

It should also include a perfect description of the entire home, as well as all outbuildings and common areas, and premises made available exclusively to you. The address of the dwelling in question as well as the rent must also appear in the lease contract.

In a number of cases, the landlord also includes an annual rent review clause in the lease. This revision is perfectly within its law but must comply with certain regulations.

Finally, this contract must specify the method of payment of the rent as well as the precise date for its payment. To prevent the case of non-payment of rent, the rental contract must include a clause terminating the lease.

It is very important to always read the contract carefully before signing it because unfair terms may be introduced.

• The right to enjoy the property during the rental period

It is often common for the owner to have a duplicate of your key. However, it is him It is forbidden to enter your home without your consent. Indeed, once the rental contract is signed, you have all the rights to the property throughout the duration of the lease.

Any offense will be considered a violation of residence and you can then sue him. However, the owner can carry out an inspection visit if he feels like it. This visit must be done by appointment. It should not be frequent, except in the case where the home is being renovated. In short, your landlord must ensure peace of mind. To do this, limit unwanted visits as much as possible.

• The right to host friends or family

One of your loved ones is visiting the region and you suggest that he come and live with you, is it legal? The answer is yes. Indeed, you have the right to host whoever you want and for the duration of your lease contract, free of charge. You are therefore prohibited from subletting your home without the agreement of your landlord.

• The right to organize housing freely

As a tenant, you can make all the arrangements you like in your home, as long as they do not require renaturation work. So, if you think the paint is too old, you have the right to give it a good makeover. Likewise, you can very well lay a carpet if you like. However, you are not allowed to tear down a wall or turn the kitchen into a guest bedroom.

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