The golden rules for rental in Mexico

If you plan to spend more than a few months in Mexico, chances are you’ll want to rent a place. That’s easy to say, however, when it comes to navigating Mexico’s strangely complex and unspoken rental rules, things can get a little trickier.

AirBnB is of course an option, although it is often on the more expensive side. But if you’re hoping to stay for six months to a year to get a feel for a particular community, you’ll probably want to take it a little easier.

And by the way, long-term renting when you’re not ready or able to buy is also something that a lot of people do, including myself. Although rental prices have increased lately – along with everything else – they are still quite accessible compared to US rental prices.

It’s also a good choice if you’re not ready to commit to just one place in Mexico. Traveling around when you’re able offers nice flexibility, as does not having to deal with the hassle of being ‘married’ to a place.

That said, renting is not without its problems. Luckily, we’ve covered this quite a bit over the years at Mexico News Daily! See here for common contract requirements. Here’s an article on what to expectAnd another one with simple decoration tips! Finally, here’s some essential Spanish for when you’re on the hunt.

What can and cannot I do in a rental property?

Your lease (don’t rent without it, trust me) should spell out most things specifically. If you have any doubts about a specific change, you can of course ask your landlord. In general, though, here’s what you can and can’t expect when renting.

Normally you can:

1. Paint. However, there is a caveat here. While most landlords will be thrilled if you slap on a new coat of paint at your own expense, they will usually stipulate that you must leave it in its original colors before you move out.
   
   This means you’ll likely be applying two coats of paint at your own expense, which can get a bit expensive and labor-intensive. For me personally, it’s worth it: I paint places, even if I’m only there for a year, because good decor is at the top of my list of important things. However, for many that will not be the case. Happy medium if you can’t resist: an accent wall perhaps?
   
   It is possible that the landlord also likes the colors you have chosen and lets you keep them. This was the case, I thought, at my last spot, and I even did some touch-up before I left. Ultimately, the landlord decided he wanted it white after all and used the deposit to have everything repainted. Sigh.
2. Install things that can be removed, such as shelving. A big problem that I personally often have is a lack of storage space and safety features. The lack of light fixtures also annoys me, although I’ve gotten a little better at ignoring naked hanging lights. I’ve never lived in a major tourist area, but have a feeling this might not be such a big deal there. Or maybe my budget is just too small?
   
   Either way, you’ll probably want to make some adjustments, and your landlord may or may not be willing to let you make it a cuenta de la renta. This basically means you pay for them, but give them a discount on rent, and they stay in the place you rent. If they are not counted towards the rent, you must take them with you when you leave.
   
   I’ve had some really good landlords and over the years I’ve had kitchen cupboards installed, a safety railing on the stairs and extra shelving installed. The owner of my current home even hired a carpenter to refinish all the cedar doors and windows in the house, no small job! It’s really just about good communication and setting expectations.
3. Use the rental address as your ‘comprobante de domicilio’. Most paperwork in Mexico, including immigration, the SAT, and opening a bank account, will require you to show proof of address. Many foreigners are concerned about this because their names are not on the water or electricity bill. Fortunately, that’s completely okay. They just want to see a real address where they can contact you.
   
   Often the only bills in your name will be the internet if you decide to take out another service. These services are often portable, unlike more permanent items like electricity, which are always in the owner’s name.

Normally you cannot:

1. Get your deposit back. I know this is a big deal for some people. I always remember the words in a book referring to those of us from the US: “They were Americans, so they expected to get a fair deal.”

Unfortunately, “a fair deal” isn’t always what you get – at least what you might classify as a fair deal. The deposit is one of those things that, again, can be different in areas more used to foreigners.

However, in my own case, I didn’t get it back once. And while many will tell you it’s “last month’s rent” and you simply don’t pay last month, this isn’t technically correct. If you are considering doing this, look carefully at your contract. Even if you leave the property spotless, you probably won’t get it back. So write it off as part of the cost of doing business and enjoy it as an unexpected surprise when you do get it back. Landlords usually use it to spruce up the normal wear and tear of the home, which is often extensive due to the way homes are built here.

2. Expect to find a refrigerator and a stove/oven in an unfurnished rental. Although these are the standard rates for apartments available for rent north of the border, here it is BYOA (Bring Your Own Appliances).

That means you’ll need to buy a refrigerator and stove, and a washer/dryer if you plan to use them. The great thing is that you can buy exactly what you want; the bad thing is that you are responsible for any repairs. If you’re on a budget, check out the Facebook marketplace, where many people sell their stuff secondhand.

3. Make any structural changes to your home or garden. You may not knock down walls, doors, or trees unless you can put them back as they were before you left.

I decided to cut down the bouganvilleas in the garden. They are spiky and impossible to tame, they tear up garbage bags when you try to throw away the bells and whistles, and the garbage collectors refuse to take them anyway because they are painfully poked. There really just isn’t a good solution if they haven’t been trained from the start to grow a certain way, and I and my family have had to bleed one too many times. I decided to take a card from the Mexican playbook: ask forgiveness, not permission.

That’s why we shortened them as short as possible. When the owner saw it, she was devastated, and there was no explanation as to why we would shorten them like that, damn it. So guess what was in our next lease? ‘Leave the bouganvilleas alone.’ Uhm.

Again, don’t forget to ask about anything you’re unsure about. Renting here gives you quite a few freedoms – just make sure you don’t go overboard!

Sarah DeVries is a writer and translator based in Xalapa, Veracruz. She can be reached via her website, sdevrieswritingandtranslating.com and she Patreon page.