How does renting a furnished apartment work in Lebanon?

Also asked as: “Furnished apartment rent Beirut” · “Furnished flat lease in Lebanon” · “How much more does a furnished flat cost in Lebanon?” · “Renting a furnished apartment in Lebanon as a foreigner”

Which rules apply to a furnished lease#

A lease signed after July 1992 is a free contract: you and the owner set the rent and the term between you^[1,2,3,4]. The sources we read say nothing specific about furnished flats, so the same rules apply as to an unfurnished one. The old rent law, Law 160/92, did leave out "furnished places specified as touristic", according to Jaber Law Firm^[3]. That only matters for leases signed before 1992.

Two law firms say a residential lease signed after July 1992 runs at least three years^[1,3,6], even if the contract says one year, though they give different legal bases for it. Jaber Law Firm says the rule does not cover seasonal lets and employer housing^[3]. No source we found says whether a year-long furnished let, or a let of a few months, counts as seasonal. If the length of your stay matters to you or to the owner, ask a lawyer or a notary (kateb adel) before you sign. More in the three-year minimum for new leases. Lets by the night or week raise separate questions, covered in whether Airbnb and short-term letting is legal.

Once the lease is signed, Adala Law Firm says the owner may not demand a rent increase before the term ends, nor during a tacit renewal^[1].

What it costs up front#

ExpatLife.ai, a commercial expat guide, said in August 2026 that furnished flats cost 20 to 30% more than unfurnished ones, and quoted one-bedroom rents outside central Beirut at USD 350 to 600 a month^[5]. The same guide says deposits are typically 2-3 months' rent, paid in USD cash, and advises budgeting 4 to 5 months' rent up front: first month, last month, a two-month deposit and a one-month agent commission. These are one guide's market estimates, not rules.

Accounts of the broker's fee differ. JSK Real Estate (2018) says each side pays its own agent one month's rent; ExpatLife.ai (2026) says one month's rent, split between tenant and owner or paid by the tenant^[5,9]. Khatt30 reported in April 2026 that the agency commission is not refunded, a deposit may be, and advance months are set against rent, with no guarantee that prepaid rent comes back if you leave early^[10].

Lebanon has no deposit-protection law^[2,3], so whether you get your deposit back depends on what the lease says. See how much deposit and advance rent a landlord can ask for. Most rents since 2020 are agreed in fresh dollars, yet Lebanon Law Review (2021) argues an owner cannot force a tenant to pay in dollars rather than lira^[11,12]. The same review says the parties may agree on payment in foreign currency, and no ruling we found reconciles the two^[11].

What to write into the lease#

Adala Law Firm says a spoken lease binds both sides, but the rent and term are then hard to prove, and you need a written lease to register it at the municipality and for EDL^[1]. ExpatLife.ai advises insisting on a written lease that states the rent, the deposit terms and the notice period, even if it is not notarised^[5]. Jaber Law Firm tells owners to check the tenant's identity, the rent and how it is paid, the period, and the conditions on damage, breakage and non-payment^[3]. With furniture in the flat, the damage and breakage terms carry more weight.

No Lebanese source we found covers inventories or who repairs furniture and appliances. Attach a list of every item and its condition, with dated photos, signed by both of you, and say in the lease who pays to repair or replace what. For registration, the Dahye municipalities union says a lease must state the property number and location, a description of the premises, both names, the rent in Lebanese currency, the term, any services the owner provides and their price, the owner's full address and the intended use^[13]. We did not find whether a lease written only in USD is accepted today; ask the municipality.

Who pays municipal fees and built-property tax is disputed. Adala Law Firm puts municipal fees on the tenant and built-property tax on the owner. Jaber Law Firm says the owner pays taxes and dues unless the contract says otherwise^[1,3]. No source we found covers the generator or building service charges, so write them, and water, into the lease. More in who pays utilities in a rented flat. Choueh Law Firm says you must use the flat only as the lease states, or it may be terminated^[2]. Jaber Law Firm says subletting is allowed for the same use unless the lease forbids it^[3].

Registering the lease#

The Dahye municipalities union says owners must register leases at the municipality where the property lies every year by 31 December, and that registration is done on the spot^[13]. Its page lists a fixed LBP 3,000 stamp per contract plus 3 per mille of the rent over the whole term. Kallas Law Firm and PwC say Law 64/2017 raised the proportional stamp to 4 per mille, though not specifically for leases^[13,14,15]. The Dahye page is undated, so ask the municipality for today's fee. Details in registering a lease at the municipality.

A lease longer than three years should also be inscribed at the Land Registry (السجل العقاري). Without that, it binds a new owner for no more than three years^[3,16].