How To Rent Your
Dream Villa In The Bahamas

Before you start to look for property rental options in The Bahamas, you should acquaint yourself with the rental rules and regulations enforced in the country. Acquainting yourself with the rules that govern property rentals can help you know your rights and what you can expect from landlords. While short-term rentals ranging from daily to a month are out of the purview of tight regulations, long-term rentals are not, as they are considered residential housing.

The most common leasing agreement that you encounter in The Bahamas if you want to rent a property long term:

• Gross lease agreement: Under this agreement, the landlord and tenant negotiate to arrive at a mutually agreed-upon amount that the tenant must pay as rent within a stipulated time every month. However, contrary to the net lease agreement, the landlord is the one who assumes responsibility for maintaining the property and paying taxes.

There are several other aspects that you have to take into consideration before looking at Bahamas villas for rent, which are:

• Rental rates: According to the rental laws of the Bahamas, the rental rates of any property can be negotiated, and it’s up to the landlord to accept or decline interested parties based on their discretion. 
• Permit for extended stay: A standard tourist visa allows foreigners to stay 90 days in The Bahamas, but if you want to extend your stay, you have to apply for either annual or permanent residency through the government’s Department of Immigration. Getting the permit may be a time-consuming affair, which is why you should sort it out before you sign a long-term rental agreement with a landlord.
• Potential eviction: As the property rental rules and regulations in The Bahamas are somewhat partial towards landlords, you read through thoroughly before you sign on the agreement – as with all. Any breach of the agreement may lead to eviction, and in such a scenario, taking a legal course of action isn’t ideal as it may take a long time.
• Advance payments: Before a landlord hands over his/her property to you, you will be required to pay a month’s security deposit upfront along with the rental rate for the first and last months rent.
• Taxes: Even though rentals are exempt from taxes, services that you may avail in association to the rented property may incur VAT (value-added tax).