Romania (RO)
Romania is the largest country in Southeastern Europe — a full Schengen EU member state blessed with the dramatic Carpathian mountains, medieval Saxon towns like Sibiu and Brasov, the legendary Transylvania region, a booming technology sector, and one of the lowest costs of living in the European Union.
Renting in Romania
Full lifecycle: finding, moving in, during tenancy, leaving.
Renting in Romania is a mix of Civil Code protections on paper and an informal market in practice. Bucharest, Cluj-Napoca, Timișoara and Brașov have the tightest supply and fastest-moving listings. Budget 1 month deposit + 1 month rent upfront, plus agency fee (50–100% of one month) unless you find a direct-from-owner listing. There is no national rent control — rents are freely negotiated. The Romanian Civil Code (Codul Civil) Art. 1777–1850 governs residential tenancies. The deposit is capped at 3 months' rent (garanție). Tenant notice for early termination: minimum 60 days written notice under Civil Code Art. 1825.
1. Finding a flat
- - Carte de identitate / pașaport (ID or passport)
- - Contract de muncă sau dovadă venituri (employment contract or proof of income)
- - Extrase de cont bancar ultimele 3 luni (last 3 months bank statements, sometimes requested)
- - CNP / NIF pentru cetățeni străini (tax number for foreigners — needed for ANAF contract registration)
- - Recomandare de la proprietarul anterior (reference from previous landlord, occasionally requested)
- - Prioritise "de la proprietar" listings to avoid the 50–100% agency fee (comision agenție) paid by the tenant.
- - Always insist the landlord registers the contract at ANAF — it is their legal obligation, protects you as tenant and is needed for certain residence paperwork.
- - Verify the owner via an extras de carte funciară (land registry extract, ~20 RON online at ancpi.ro). Confirms the person signing is actually the owner.
- - In Bucharest and Cluj, viewings go fast — prepare your documents as a PDF pack and be ready to sign within 24–48h on good listings.
- - Never pay a deposit before signing a written contract and checking the keys work.
ExpatCheapRent is a rental platform built for expats — worth a look alongside the local platforms above when you start your search in Romania.
2. Before move-in
Handover protocol
Proces-verbal de predare-primire — sign a detailed handover protocol with meter readings (electricity, gas, water, thermal/termoficare where applicable), inventory of furniture and appliances, key count and condition photos of each room. Both parties sign. Without it, you risk deposit deductions for pre-existing damage.
Deposit
Max: Typically 1–2 months rent (garanție). Civil Code does not specify a maximum cap but established legal practice (confirmed by Romanian courts) treats 3 months as the ceiling for residential leases. 1 month is standard for unfurnished; 2 months for furnished.
Rules: No escrow law in Romania — landlord holds the money directly in their own account. Record the amount clearly in the contract and in the proces-verbal. The deposit must be returned within 30 days of lease termination per the terms agreed in the contract.
Return deadline: No single statutory deadline — return period is whatever the contract says, usually 30 days after move-out and final meter reconciliation. A 30-day return deadline is strongly recommended as a contract term.
Alternatives: Some landlords accept a bank guarantee (scrisoare de garanție bancară) or a co-signer (girant) instead of cash, but this is rare on the private market.
3. During your tenancy
Facturi utilități (monthly utility bills)
Frequency: Monthly — each utility is billed and settled monthly with no end-of-year reconciliation in most cases
Dispute window: Raise errors directly with the utility provider (Enel/E-Distribuție, Engie, Apa Nova, Termoenergetica) within 30 days of the bill. Landlord is not usually involved in utility disputes.
- - Întreținere bills with charges for building repairs that are actually capital works — owner expense, not tenant
- - Landlord asking for a flat-fee "utility contribution" instead of actual meter-based bills — you lose any ability to verify
- - Utilities still in the previous tenant's or landlord's name after weeks — arrears can be attached to the address
- - Termoficare (district heating) charged on top of a separate gas boiler contract (duplicate billing)
- - Întreținere jumping month-to-month unexpectedly — always ask for the detailed list of posts from the asociația
Repairs: Civil Code Art. 1788–1801: landlord is responsible for structural repairs and major appliances (boiler, heating system, plumbing, roof). Tenant covers minor upkeep — light bulbs, small fixes, cleaning filters, anything caused by ordinary use. Contract may shift minor items but cannot shift structural to the tenant.
4. Moving out
Notice period: Minimum 60 days written notice (preaviz) per Civil Code Art. 1825 — applies even for fixed-term leases. If the contract is silent, the 60-day minimum applies. Fixed-term contracts without a break clause (clauză de denunțare unilaterală) mean you owe the remaining rent unless the landlord agrees otherwise. Send notice in writing, ideally by registered mail or email with read receipt.
Final handover: Proces-verbal de predare-primire again at move-out. Record final meter readings, photograph the condition, return all keys, confirm inventory. Property should be in the same condition as handover, allowing for normal wear.
Deposit return: Within the period set in the contract (typically 30 days). Landlord can deduct documented damage beyond normal wear and any unpaid utilities. Disputes go to judecătoria (small claims court) or can be escalated via ANPC if consumer-rights relevant.
Your tenant rights
Tenant association: ANPC (Autoritatea Națională pentru Protecția Consumatorilor — anpc.ro) handles consumer-law aspects of tenancy disputes. There is no national tenant advocacy association — legal aid comes mostly from lawyers, the judecătoria or ANPC. Regional tenant-support NGOs and legal aid clinics offer advice in major cities.
Rent control: No national rent control. Rent is freely negotiated between the parties. Mid-contract increases are only allowed if the contract contains an explicit indexation clause (often CPI-linked). Landlord cannot unilaterally raise rent during the term.
Eviction protection: Evictions require a court order via procedura specială de evacuare (Civil Procedure Code Art. 1034–1048). Short-notice "lock-out" evictions by the landlord are illegal. Civil Code Title IX Locațiunea governs the tenancy. Practical process: formal notification → court action → bailiff-enforced eviction, typically 3–9 months end-to-end.