Renting a home in Morocco: 14 questions we answer every week

We show rental homes almost every day: in Tangier, in Marrakech, in Casablanca. And there's a core set of questions that comes back every week, almost word for word. Especially when the person has just arrived in the country or is planning the move from abroad.

This piece answers the 14 most repeated ones, with law 67-12 — the one that governs residential renting in Morocco — and with what actually happens on the ground. One thing before we start: almost everything is negotiable, but everything that matters gets signed. If it isn't in the contract, it doesn't exist.

Yes. The law makes no distinction by nationality, and anyone with their paperwork in order can sign a lease. In practice, a foreigner is asked for a valid passport and, for long stays, some proof of solvency; if you already live in the country, the carte de séjour makes things smoother.

What really determines your peace of mind isn't the passport: it's having the contract in writing, with clear terms from day one.

It depends on the landlord and on whether you go direct or through an agency, but the usual package is this:

1. •ID or valid passport — plus carte de séjour if you live in Morocco.
2. •Proof of income or activity: employment contract, payslip or employer's letter.
3. •Details of a guarantor, if requested; not unusual when you have no track record in the country.
4. •References from a previous landlord or the agency, where they exist.

If you're asked for much more than this, or if the written contract keeps getting dodged, switch the alarm on.

Law 67-12 requires a written contract with a certain date. Among other things, it must include: the identity of landlord and tenant, a description of the home and its outbuildings, the use (residential), the rent and how it is paid, which costs each side carries and the obligations of both. It is signed in duplicate, and each party keeps a copy.

The landlord must also file it for legalisation at the moqataa — the local district administration — and covers the cost. It's not a glamorous errand, so chase it: ask for the receipt and, if you can, go along the day it's done.

Before moving in — and again on the way out — an état des lieux is drawn up: a detailed, written description of the home's condition, attached to the contract. The law demands precision; vague wording like "in good condition" won't do. Do it properly: photos of every flaw, meter readings, keys handed over, all written down.

And a warning: with no move-in état des lieux, the law assumes you received the place in good working order. On the day you leave, that works against you.

This is the sum to have clear before you say yes. At the viewing, ask for the full "keys-in-hand" figure: deposit + advances + fees + anything still pending.

The half-yearly review of Morocco's rental market published by Aujourd'hui le Maroc (August 2025, drawing on Moroccan real estate portal data) gave these averages for the first half of 2025:

Over that half-year, unfurnished flats were up 2% (6% year-on-year) and furnished ones up 3% (5% year-on-year). Average size: around 109 m² for unfurnished flats and 96 m² for furnished. In plain terms: the market ran from about 4,000 dirhams a month in the most affordable areas to over 14,000 in premium addresses — and between the two, in several cities, there are just two neighbourhoods of difference.

The contract sets the payment method: bank transfer, standing order or cash. If you pay cash, always ask for your receipt (quittance): the landlord is obliged to give one, and you'll need those receipts — for example, for the quitus fiscal the day you leave the home. Keep the deposit receipt too.

Desk advice: pay by transfer whenever you can; it leaves a record for both sides.

The law covers both. In practice, furnished places cluster in tourist areas and rent for shorter stretches; unfurnished ones dominate long, family stays.

If you rent furnished, sign an inventory of what's there — furniture, appliances, kitchenware — it's the part of the état des lieux people forget most often.

The contract must state which costs the tenant carries. As a rule, property taxes (housing tax and communal services tax) fall to the owner, though they're sometimes passed on by contract: if that's your case, get it in writing and clearly capped.

Day-to-day building charges and small upkeep sit with the tenant; structural repairs with the owner. The law requires the owner to hand over a home that meets basic living conditions: ventilation, kitchen, toilets, water and electricity.

These contracts are usually in the owner's name and are transferred — or set up fresh — on signing. Take meter readings and photos on handover day and note anything outstanding: it's the simplest way to avoid arguments about old bills at the end.

Internet is arranged separately and, depending on the address, can take a while; start the process the day you sign.

Yes, but with more care. The sensible route: a live video viewing (not an edited clip), checking that the person renting is the owner or an authorised representative, and a contract reviewed before any money moves. If you can't be there, you can sign by power of attorney to a trusted person or the agency.

What I wouldn't do: wire a deposit for a house nobody has seen live.

1. •A price well below the neighbourhood and pressure to close fast: the classic combination.
2. •Money requested before you see the home, or without a contract.
3. •The "owner" can't show a title or matching ID.
4. •Excuses that change every time you ask for paperwork.

The rule is simple: no money without a written contract, and a real viewing before paying. If it goes through an agency, get a receipt for everything from the first payment.

Law 67-12 governs leases of more than 30 days, furnished or not. Below that threshold we're talking tourist accommodation, with its own classification rules and specific formalities.

Mixing up the two worlds is the mother of many a mess: if you're renting by the week, ask which regime applies before paying; if you're after a permanent home, you're in 67-12 territory.

A check-out état des lieux is drawn up, compared with the check-in one, and the deposit is returned, minus justified, documented damage (never "round-figure deductions"). With your receipts up to date, you apply for the quitus fiscal if you're leaving the country, and you close or transfer water, power and internet.

If you're renewing, do it on time and in writing: rent can only be revised after three years from signing (law 67-12), and industry guides cite an indicative cap of up to 8% for housing.

All of this can be done solo, but it takes time and a bit of craft. At DunaMaroc we support long-term rentals in the main cities: real viewings, contracts reviewed line by line, and support all the way to the keys being handed over.

You can start with the guides for Tangier and Marrakech, or browse the homes available in our listings.

Note: law 67-12 (2013) governs residential renting in Morocco. The rent figures quoted come from the half-yearly rental market review published by Aujourd'hui le Maroc in August 2025 (H1 2025).