A notarised contract, handover report, one month’s rent as a deposit and new notice periods: Croatia is discussing a new residential tenancy law. It remains a draft – which is exactly why no proposal should be presented as current law.
The most important caveat: the law is not yet in force
Croatia’s ministry has opened the draft of a new Residential Tenancy Act for public consultation. Comments can be submitted through the government eSavjetovanja portal until 2 September 2026. The text, deadlines and individual instruments may still change after that; only then will the further legislative procedure and possible entry into force follow.
Anyone signing a tenancy agreement today can therefore neither rely on the new protection periods nor present the proposed notarial form as an already universal obligation. The draft shows the political direction. Current law, the specific contract and, in a dispute, qualified legal advice in Croatia continue to govern an individual case today.
New contracts are intended to go before a notary
Under the version presented by the ministry, every new residential tenancy agreement would be drawn up as a notarial deed or solemnised by a notary. The government links this to faster enforcement of eviction or outstanding claims without first having to conduct lengthy civil proceedings over the same claim. It would also give the state a more accurate picture of the long-term rental housing stock.
This changes the significance of the contract. Notarial form is not merely a decorative stamp; it can prepare certain obligations for direct enforcement. Tenants and landlords should therefore understand the content, amounts, deadlines and conditions before signing. A hasty signature does not become harmless merely because it is made in an official office.
The handover report is intended to become mandatory
When the property is handed over, both parties would prepare a report. It should describe the condition of the home, record every meter reading and include photographs of each room. This apparently bureaucratic work may later determine whether damage already existed, which consumption belongs to the tenancy period and whether part of the deposit may be retained.
In practice, a joint inspection is worthwhile: document walls, floors, windows, furniture, appliances, keys, water, electricity and visible defects; keep dated, unaltered images; and give both parties the same version. Vague wording such as ‘good condition’ is of little help if a broken shutter or dampness later becomes disputed.
Public consultation until 2 September
Infographic showing the principal proposed rules for long-term residential tenancies and noting that they remain in draft form
Who would repair and pay for what
The landlord would have to provide the home fit for the agreed use, keep it functional, be responsible for physical and legal defects and permit necessary repairs. The tenant would have to pay rent and agreed utilities regularly, use the property carefully, cover minor routine repairs and report defects they notice.
This division does not resolve every borderline case. Whether a dripping tap, failed air conditioner or moisture damage is minor, caused by use or the owner’s responsibility depends on the contract and the specific defect. That is precisely why a detailed contract, the handover report and an early written defect notice matter more than verbal reminders.
Deposit and inspections would receive fixed guardrails
The draft provides for a deposit of one month’s rent on moving in. This creates a clear standard amount but does not replace contractual rules on what the deposit may be used for, how claims must be evidenced and when the balance must be repaid. The ministry’s overview does not state that ordinary wear and tear may automatically be charged as damage.
Unless the contract provides otherwise, the landlord would be allowed to inspect the property up to twice a year after prior notice. That does not create a spontaneous right of entry at will. Timing, purpose and access still have to be coordinated; at the same time, the tenant cannot simply treat an agreed and announced inspection as fundamentally impermissible.
Tenants would be able to give 60 days’ notice without stating a reason
The draft gives tenants a statutory right to terminate without stating a reason on 60 days’ notice. This would be especially relevant for people moving to Croatia for work, study or a longer stay who do not want to commit their life plans for years.
Notice should nevertheless be delivered on time and in a provable way. The proposed right would not eliminate payment or handover obligations incurred before the contract ends. Anyone moving out should document final meter readings, the return of keys, the property’s condition and outstanding utilities as carefully as when moving in.
Graduated notice periods are planned for landlord termination
For breaches such as unpaid rent, major damage or serious violations of house rules, a written warning would come first. According to the ministry’s presentation, the tenant would have 15 days to remedy the breach. If that did not happen, the additional period to move out would have to be at least 30 days.
Termination without tenant fault would also remain possible, but with longer minimum notice: generally six months, or one year after more than five years of tenancy. If a child lives in the home, a further six months would be added. The ministry also mentions the possibility of contractually shorter periods, but not below three months. This combination in particular must be checked against the final statutory text, because a summary cannot explain every application.
Rent increases would be limited during the agreement
Under the draft, rent could be increased at most once a year during an ongoing agreement. The tenant would have to be informed at least 30 days in advance. The ceiling would correspond to the percentage increase in residential property prices in the previous year, based on data from Croatia’s DZS statistics office.
A contractual clause allowing more frequent or larger increases would be void. This is not a general government cap on the initial rent: the rent agreed in a new contract remains a separate matter. The limit is aimed at unilateral changes during an existing tenancy.
An agency would secure certain landlord claims
As a new instrument, the ministry describes cover through the Agency for Workers’ Claims. Under certain conditions it could take over landlords’ claims if tenants fail to meet their obligations. The stated conditions include a solemnised contract submitted to the agency, an annual fee of no more than two per cent of annual rent and a blank bill of exchange from the tenant for up to €10,000.
This is not automatic state rent-default cover for every agreement. Costs, participation, eligibility and recourse against the tenant would need to be read carefully in the final law and practical rules. It would be risky for private parties to reinterpret this political announcement as a firm insurance promise today.
Long-term renting is not holiday letting
The draft concerns renting homes for residential use. It is not a new set of rules for an apartment let to holidaymakers by the day or week. Tourist short-term letting is subject to different permits, tax rules, building-community issues and local law. An owner therefore cannot infer from this draft that a holiday apartment will automatically be treated as a long-term rental home.
The draft is nevertheless important for people who wish to live in Croatia permanently or for many months. It is intended to document the informal market more thoroughly and give both sides fixed procedures. Whether it actually creates more available housing depends not only on the law but also on taxes, prices, trust, enforcement and competition from tourist rentals.
Evidence
Sources & date
Sources support the facts. Planning notes and recommendations are Golden Beach editorial assessments.
- New Residential Tenancy Act to provide greater security for tenants and landlordsMinistry of Physical Planning, Construction and State Assets · 31 July 2026ministry presentation of notarial form, duties, handover report, deposit, inspections, termination, rent increases and the agency model
- Public consultation – take part through eSavjetovanjaMinistry of Physical Planning, Construction and State Assets · 7 August 2026ongoing public consultation and deadline of 2 September 2026
- Residential Tenancy Act – eSavjetovanjaGovernment of the Republic of Croatia · 2026 consultation, checked 23 August 2026official consultation channel; the final version may change after comments and legislative procedure
- Nova ves 62, ZagrebStefanguzvica / Wikimedia Commons · photographed 20 October 2024; licence checked 23 August 2026lead and social image of a residential building in Zagreb, CC0
- Apartment building in Listopadska Streetkpavlina / Wikimedia Commons · photographed 2009; licence checked 23 August 2026inline image of a residential building in Zagreb, CC BY 3.0
