What the 2025 rental contract control announcement is, and when it took effect
The Contract Committee Announcement designating residential building rental as a contract-controlled business, B.E. 2568 (2025), is dated 30 May 2025 and took effect on 4 September 2025. It is the version now in force, replacing the B.E. 2562 (2019) announcement.
The announcement date appears in the document listing of the Office of the Consumer Protection Board (OCPB). The 4 September 2025 commencement date is reported by DormBix and Horganice, both operators of rental management systems for Thai landlords.
What this instrument does is set out what a residential lease may not say, rather than merely recommending what it should say. A clause that conflicts with the announcement has no legal effect, even where the tenant has already signed it.
Who is covered, and why the three-unit threshold matters to tenants
A landlord letting three or more units is a business operator subject to this announcement. That is down from the five-unit threshold in the 2019 version, as summarised consistently by Horganice and Propertyhub.
The change shifts a meaningful slice of the market. An owner holding three or four condo units for rent was previously outside the rules and is now inside them. A great many small-scale condo tenants therefore gain protections that until recently applied only to people renting in large apartment buildings.
The announcement covers residential buildings of every kind: dormitories, apartments, rented rooms, condominiums and houses. It is not limited to dormitories, which is a common misreading.
How much deposit and advance rent may be collected
For short-term leases, the security deposit and advance rent combined must not exceed three months of the rent. For long-term leases billed annually, the ceiling is one year.
The 2025 announcement separates short-term leases of up to three years from long-term leases of more than three years up to thirty years, a distinction the earlier version did not draw.
The point tenants miss is that the ceiling is a combined one, not a per-item one. One month advance plus two months deposit sits exactly within it. Two months advance plus two months deposit does not.
How quickly the deposit must be returned, and what may be deducted
The landlord must return the security deposit within seven business days of the lease ending and the tenant handing back the unit.
Only damage beyond normal use may be deducted. Any deduction must be notified in writing with supporting evidence, such as photographs of the damage and repair invoices, rather than presented as a net figure with no working shown.
Fair wear and tear cannot be charged. Paint that has faded with age, furniture marks on the floor, and light bulbs that have reached the end of their life fall on that side of the line. Broken glass, large holes drilled in walls, and appliances damaged by misuse fall on the other.
The most effective way to prevent a dispute is not to argue at move-out. It is to photograph the condition of the unit together on handover day and attach the photographs to the lease, signed by both parties.
Electricity and water may not be marked up
A landlord may not charge more for electricity and water than the utilities themselves charge, and the rates must be stated clearly in the lease.
This is the provision breached most often in practice. Many rented rooms bill electricity at THB 7 to 8 per unit while the utility's own tariff sits well below that. The difference is profit the landlord has no right to collect under this announcement.
The 2025 announcement also requires the landlord to issue the bill at least three days before it falls due, so the tenant has time to check the figures rather than seeing them on the day payment is expected.
Notice periods for ending a lease
A tenant ending a lease early must give written notice of not less than 30 days. A landlord terminating for a material breach by the tenant must give written notice of not less than 7 days, per DormBix's summary of the announcement.
The word "written" carries weight. Notice by chat or telephone may work in practice with a reasonable landlord, but when a deposit dispute arises, what can be proved is a letter with a date and evidence of delivery.
Does a clause that conflicts with the law still bind
No. Any provision in the lease conflicting with this announcement has no legal effect, even where the tenant has signed in agreement.
An operator in breach faces penalties under the Consumer Protection Act: imprisonment of up to one year, a fine of up to THB 100,000, or both. That liability falls on the landlord alone, never on the tenant.
A tenant who finds an unlawful clause can complain to the OCPB on its 1166 hotline or through its online complaint system.
What if the landlord has fewer than three units
The Civil and Commercial Code and the lease terms still apply, which means the deposit arrangements are whatever the parties wrote down. There is no three-month ceiling and no seven-business-day deadline to fall back on.
In that situation the wording of the lease matters far more. Insist that the deposit refund deadline is written as a number of days, and that the grounds for deduction are listed.
If a landlord withholds the deposit without cause, the tenant can sue in the District Court's small claims procedure, which is designed for modest sums and does not require a lawyer, and can claim statutory interest on top.
What tenants should do before signing and before moving out
Before signing
- Ask how many units the landlord lets, so you know whether the announcement applies.
- Add the deposit and the advance rent together, then compare the total to the three-month ceiling.
- Check that the lease states the electricity and water rates as figures, and compare them to the MEA or PEA tariff for that area.
- Check that the lease sets a deposit refund deadline and lists the grounds for deduction.
- Photograph the condition of every part of the unit on handover day, signed by both parties and attached to the lease.
- Keep an original of the lease signed by the landlord, not only a photograph of it.
Before moving out
- Give written notice at least 30 days ahead and keep proof of delivery.
- Arrange a joint inspection and photograph the unit at handover against the move-in photographs.
- Read the water and electricity meters together and record the figures as images.
- If anything is deducted, ask for a written statement of the amount and the reason.
- Count seven business days from handover, then follow up in writing if nothing has arrived.
Frequently asked questions
When did the 2025 rental contract control announcement take effect
The announcement is dated 30 May 2025 and took effect on 4 September 2025. It is the version currently in force, replacing the B.E. 2562 (2019) announcement.
How many rental units make a landlord subject to this law
Three or more units makes a landlord a business operator bound by the announcement, down from five units under the 2019 version. An owner letting only one or two units remains outside its scope.
What is the maximum security deposit for a rental in Thailand
The deposit and advance rent combined must not exceed three months of the rent for short-term leases of up to three years. Long-term leases billed annually are capped at one year.
How long does a landlord have to return the deposit
Seven business days from the end of the lease and the handover of the unit. Only damage beyond normal use may be deducted, and the deduction must be notified in writing with supporting evidence.
Can a landlord charge THB 8 per unit for electricity
Not if they are a business operator covered by this announcement, because charges may not exceed what the electricity authority actually charges, and the rate must be stated clearly in the lease.
I already signed a lease with an unlawful clause. Can I still challenge it
Yes. A clause conflicting with the announcement has no legal effect even after signature, and a landlord in breach faces up to one year's imprisonment, a fine of up to THB 100,000, or both.
How much notice must a tenant give to leave early
Not less than 30 days, in writing. A landlord terminating for a material breach by the tenant must give not less than 7 days' written notice.
In short
The 2025 announcement extends protection down to owners letting just three units, caps deposit plus advance rent at three months, requires the deposit back within seven business days, and forbids marking up electricity and water.
Tenants need remember only one thing: signing does not waive what the law grants. A clause that conflicts with this announcement has no effect, however clearly it is written and however many pages you initialled.
If you are looking for a rental, browse houses and condominiums for rent, and read on for who actually pays the rental agent. Owners wanting to let lawfully from the start can see our rental management service.