Macao Special Administrative Region is mainly comprised of the Macao Peninsula, Taipa, Coloane and the reclaimed area of COTAI. The campus of the University of Macau is in Taipa. The monthly rental rate of two or three bedrooms apartment in urban area ranges from MOP6,000 to MOP15,000, depending on the area and the size of the apartment.
There are many choices of real estate in Macau. Students who need to rent an apartment are advised to choose a legitimate real estate agent or real estate agency to avoid unnecessary losses. The following rental information is for students’ reference only.
Things that Tenants Should Pay Attention to Before Renting a Property
(1) Property Selection: Properties in different areas vary in size, surrounding amenities, and rental prices. Plan carefully according to your personal capabilities and choose based on your needs and abilities.
(2) Additional Expenses: Rent is generally calculated in Hong Kong dollars. Pay attention to whether the rent includes management fees or miscellaneous charges, as management fees are typically borne by the owner.
(3) Furniture and Appliances: Check if the landlord can provide furniture and appliances.
(4) Lease Commencement Date: The move-in and lease commencement dates may vary. In general, the landlord may offer a free renovation period for tenants, typically lasting three to five days, depending on whether the unit requires renovation or comes with furniture.
(5) Contract Signing: A private tenancy agreement is a legally binding contract signed between the tenant and the landlord.
During the Leasing Process
During the leasing process, there are some important considerations to keep in mind. Before signing the contract, the prospective tenant should ask the landlord to show the documentary proof, such as the Property Registration Report issued by Macau Land and Real Estate Registry Office (CRPM) or proof of payment in order to prevent the imitations of owner. When both parties agree on the rental conditions, the signed lease agreement should specify all the basic terms.
According to Real Estate Leasing Legal System under the Civil Code regime, it requires the tenancy agreements to have both parties’ signatures certified and notarized, meaning that the signatures of the lessor (landlord) and lessee (tenant) must be “authenticated.” The authentication process can be done by having both parties sign the lease agreement in advance and then submitting it along with their identity documents to a public notary office or a private notary for the necessary handwriting comparison procedures. The parties involved can also choose to sign the lease agreement in the presence of a notary to complete the authentication process.
The rental amount is determined by mutual agreement between the landlord and the tenant, and should be clearly stated in the lease agreement. In Macau, the rental system follows a “pay before stay” approach. The tenant is required to prepay the rent (commonly referred to as the “advance rental”) on the first day the lease becomes effective or on the first day of the lease period. Whether to pay a deposit is subject to mutual agreement between the parties. They can agree to use an amount equal to two months’ rent as a “deposit.” This deposit will be refunded to the tenant by the landlord without interest upon the expiration of the lease.
After both the landlord and tenant have signed the formal contract, on the agreed handover date, the landlord will hand over all the keys to the tenant. The tenant should first inspect the property’s condition, such as the walls, windows, toilet, kitchen facilities, furniture, and appliances etc., to ensure they are in good and undamaged condition (it is recommended to take photos for documentation). Only when they have confirmed that the property matches the signed lease agreement should they accept the keys. When the tenant decides not to renew the lease, they should provide one month’s advance notice to the landlord. They should settle any utility bills, such as water and electricity, associated with the property and return all the keys to the landlord. This is necessary to receive the refund of the deposit.
After a property lease is finalized, both the landlord and tenant generally need to pay a service fee equivalent to one month’s rent to the real estate agency that facilitated the transaction. The specific amount of commission should be negotiated between the real estate agent and the client.
Source: Macau SAR Legal Affairs Bureau; Macau Housing Bureau
For more up-to-date rental information or should you need to contact related government department for further details, please refer to the websites of the Macau Legal Affairs Bureau and the Housing Bureau:
(1) Leaflet from the Macau SAR Legal Affairs Bureau Tenancy Law Information
Link: https://www.dsaj.gov.mo/showpdfs/3803.pdf
(2) Macau Legal Affairs Bureau
Link：https://www.dsaj.gov.mo/index_tc.aspx
(3) Instituto de Habitação Real Estate Agency Information
Link：https://www.ihm.gov.mo/pt/node-207
(4) Platform for Off Campus Flat share Matching and Sharing of Housing Information
Link: https://community.um.edu.mo/course/view.php?id=665
Contact Information
Student Resources Section
Tel: +853 8822-2660
Email: sao.pgh@um.edu.mo
Disclaimer
- The information provided above is for reference only.
- In case of any discrepancies between Chinese and English versions, in respect of all or any part of the contents in the document, the Chinese version shall prevail.
- We shall provide the above information as accurate as possible, but in some cases, it may not reflect the most updated information. The University of Macau shall not be responsible for any loss arising from the use of such information.
- External links to other websites are provided for students’ convenience and the University of Macau is not responsible for the content, information and actions of these websites or agents. The University of Macau has no relationship with these websites and agents.