If you own property in Latvia and rent it out, one law governs almost everything you do: the Residential Tenancy Law (Dzīvojamo telpu īres likums), adopted in March 2021 and in force since 1 May 2021. It replaced the old 1993 law and changed several rules that still catch owners out. Here is what matters most.

Important: this is general guidance, not legal advice. Every case is different and laws change. Consult a Latvian lawyer before making decisions, especially if you are not resident here.

1. The contract must be written

Article 6 is unambiguous: a written tenancy agreement is the only lawful basis for a tenant to occupy your property. A verbal deal is not a contract. Without a written document you have almost nothing to bring to court — no provable rent, no term, no obligations.

2. The deposit is capped at two months

Under Article 12, you may require a security deposit (drošības nauda) of no more than two months' rent. If the deposit is unused or partly used when the tenancy ends, the balance must be returned no later than the day the property is vacated, unless your contract says otherwise.

Practical tip: write a different arrangement into the contract. Final utility bills usually arrive the month after move-out. Without a clause, you are formally due to return the money on the day they leave — before you know the final figure.

You must always be able to justify and prove any deduction. "I think they damaged it" is not enough; a signed handover act with photographs is.

3. Non-payment: two months, and a mandatory warning

Article 24 lets you terminate if arrears exceed two months' rent (unless your contract allows more). But the debt alone does not entitle you to evict. A written warning is a precondition, giving the tenant a real chance to pay before you go to court — and Supreme Court case law applies this strictly. If a new debt arises after the warning, you need a new warning.

Never do this: change the locks, cut off utilities, remove belongings, or enter without permission. Eviction in Latvia is lawful only through the courts. Self-help turns you from claimant into defendant.

4. Who may live there

The new law narrowed this considerably. Under Article 14, a tenant may house their spouse and children after notifying you in writing beforehand. Anyone else — including, notably, the tenant's parents — requires your written consent.

5. The clause most foreign owners miss

A tenancy agreement can be notarised or registered in the Land Register (zemesgrāmata). Combined with a fixed term and an explicit clause, this unlocks undisputed compulsory execution — a substantially faster route to eviction and rent recovery than ordinary litigation. It costs something up front and is worth far more than it costs if things go wrong.

6. Old contracts

Agreements signed before 30 April 2021 run under the previous regime with transitional provisions. If you inherited a property with a long-standing tenant, have the contract reviewed.

The shortcut

All of the above assumes you are managing the tenancy yourself, in Latvian, from wherever you live. With different.lv you don't have to. We become your tenant — one clear contract with a company, stable monthly payments, and the operational reality of Latvian tenancy law handled locally by us.

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