Who pays electricity, generator, water and internet in a rented flat in Lebanon?
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Short answer
It depends on the lease. No Lebanese source we found sets a default for electricity, generator, water or internet. Even on municipal fees and property tax, Adala Law Firm and Jaber Law Firm disagree[1,2]. So write each bill into the contract: who pays, whose name the meter is in, and who clears old arrears.
Also asked as: “Is electricity included in rent in Lebanon?” · “Rent apartment Beirut generator electricity included” · “Does the tenant or the landlord pay utilities in Lebanon?” · “Who pays the generator in a rented flat?”
Key facts
- Legal default for utilities
- Not published: no source we found says who pays electricity, generator, water or internet
- Municipal fees and property tax
- Sources differ: Adala Law Firm puts municipal fees on the tenant and built-property tax on the landlord; Jaber Law Firm puts dues on the landlord unless the contract says otherwise[1,2]
- Moving the EDL meter into your name
- meter bill, deed or municipality-signed lease or sale contract, and ID[3]
- Unpaid EDL bills
- arrears must be paid before any transfer[3]
- EDL transfer fee
- submitted at the EDL customer office; fee = the subscription deposit[3]. The amount and the processing time are not published in current terms
What the law says, and what it does not
The only sourced statements cover property charges in leases signed after 1992, and they disagree. Adala Law Firm says municipal fees fall on the tenant and built-property tax on the landlord. Jaber Law Firm says the landlord pays taxes and other dues unless the contract says otherwise[1,2]. No source we found covers the generator or building service charges in a lease.
Some municipalities ask for the split to be written down. The Dahye municipalities union says a lease registered with it must state the services the owner provides and their price, if any, and the rent written in Lebanese currency[8]. That comes from one union's undated page. Other municipalities may differ, so ask yours when you register the lease at the municipality.
Electricity: the EDL meter and the generator
As of mid-October 2026, Al-Modon reported EDL supply at 2 to 4 hours a day[9,10], so ask about both the EDL meter and the generator. Lebanon24 reported in April 2026 that EDL said its tariff was unchanged at USD 0.10 per kWh for the first 100 kWh, USD 0.27 per kWh above[11]. By 14 October 2026 a demand to raise it was before the Council of Ministers, and we do not know whether it was approved after that[9]. If the EDL meter is to be in your name, EDL accepts a lease signed by the municipality as proof, and it will not transfer the meter until the old bills are paid[3]. Here is how to move an EDL meter into your name.
Generator figures vary widely. ExpatLife.ai, a commercial guide, put subscriptions at USD 50 to 100 a month in August 2026[12]. The National reported a median of USD 310 a month that same month, among about a dozen people it interviewed[7]. The Energy Ministry's metered tariff for September 2026 was LL52,840 per kWh (cities, below 700 m); LL58,124 (villages, above 700 m)[6,10], plus a fixed monthly part of LL385,000 (5 A), LL685,000 (10 A), +LL300,000 per extra 5 A[6]. Many operators charge a flat monthly rate by amperage instead. Owners may not add unregistered VAT, maintenance fees or surcharges for solar users. See generator costs for 5, 10 or 15 amps.
The building: lift, stairs and common generator
Running and repairing shared equipment, such as lifts, motors and the shared water and electricity installations, is a matter for the owners' association under Legislative Decree 88/1983[13,14]. The decree addresses owners, and its rule on collecting unpaid shares targets the owner, not a tenant. Whether the landlord passes these charges on to you is a lease question. More in who pays for the generator and common areas and building service charges.
Water, tankers and internet
In Beirut and Mount Lebanon, the Water Establishment announced in 2026 a 90% cut in the fee for changing a subscriber's name, reported in January and September 2026[4,5]. Ask the establishment whether the cut is still in force. We did not find the base fee or the documents it asks for. Charges for years before 2026 can be paid in instalments until December 2028. Our sources did not cover the North, South and Bekaa establishments.
Network water is often not enough. A 2024 survey of 600 network-connected households, reported by Al-Sifr, found that 66.3% of those in Beirut also buy tanker water[15]. The lease should say who pays for tankers. For internet, Leb Economy (August 2026) listed unlimited Ogero packages from about USD 13.97 a month before VAT and fees[16]. Agree in writing whose name the line is in.
What to agree before you sign
- Ask for the latest bills. Ask the landlord for the last EDL bill, water receipt and generator invoice. EDL needs a bill for any meter transfer[3]. Agree who pays any arrears, because EDL does nothing on a meter until they are cleared.
- Check the generator. Ask the landlord or the operator for the amperage, and whether the subscription is metered or a flat rate. ExpatLife.ai, a commercial guide, advises confirming the generator is reliable and understanding the subscription terms before signing[12]. The ministry's tariff changes every month, and the October 2026 tariff had not been found by 17 October 2026[6,10]. Look for the ministry's notice on energyandwater.gov.lb (mediafiles/prices)[17] or in National News Agency releases (the ministry's folder was not reachable in October 2026), then compare it with what the operator charges.
- Have the municipality sign the lease. EDL accepts a lease as proof only if it is signed by the municipality[3]. Ask the municipal office what it needs to register the lease.
- Transfer the EDL meter at a customer office. Go to an EDL customer office, or ask EDL which office handles your meter. Bring the meter bill, the municipality-signed lease and your ID or individual civil-record extract[3], plus a subscription bill or the building's meter-room number. The fee is the subscription's deposit; EDL gives the amount only in an undated LBP table and publishes no processing time, so ask the office for both.
- Keep every receipt. Keep copies of bills you pay, and photograph the meter readings on the day you move in and the day you leave.
It depends on
- Old or new lease. The law-firm statements concern leases after 1992[1,2]. If your tenancy is older, see old or new lease and ask a lawyer.
- Your municipality. Each municipality sets its own lease registration rules. The Dahye union's requirements may not apply where you rent[8]. Ask at the municipal office.
- Who holds the generator subscription. If it stays in the landlord's name, write the amperage and the monthly amount, or the way it is calculated, into the lease. Ask the operator whether a meter is installed.
- Arrears from the last occupant. No source says who must pay them. EDL will not transfer the meter until they are cleared[3], so settle this in the lease.
Common questions
Is electricity included in the rent in Lebanon?
Only if the lease says so. We found no Lebanese rule that sets a default for electricity or the generator, so ask the landlord and write the answer into the contract.
Can a tenant put the EDL meter in their own name?
Yes. EDL accepts a lease signed by the municipality, with the meter bill and the tenant's ID[3]. Any arrears must be paid first.
Who pays the previous tenant's unpaid electricity or water bills?
No source we found answers this. EDL will not transfer a meter until the arrears are paid[3], so agree in the lease who pays them.
Sources
Checked against these sources. The numbers in the text point here.
- 1.New rent contracts explained
Adala Law Firm · 23 Oct 2025 · read 17 Oct 2026
- 2.Jaber Law Firm: Real Estate in Lebanon (FAQ)
Jaber Law Firm · undated · read 17 Oct 2026
- 3.EDL: transfer a subscription to a new subscriber
Electricité du Liban (EDL) · undated · read 17 Oct 2026
- 4.Beirut and Mount Lebanon Water Establishment: 2026 bills placed in collection
MTV Lebanon · 8 Sept 2026 · read 17 Oct 2026
- 5.Beirut and Mount Lebanon Water Establishment starts 2026 collection and approves incentives and facilities
Alhadeel (quoting a Beirut and Mount Lebanon Water Establishment statement) · 7 Jan 2026 · read 17 Oct 2026
- 6.Private generator tariff for September 2026
Beirut24 (reproducing National News Agency / Ministry of Energy and Water statement) · 1 Oct 2026 · read 17 Oct 2026
- 7.Lebanon's power failure: Diesel generators, $300-a-month bills - and a corrupt system milking the profits
The National · 14 Oct 2026 · read 17 Oct 2026
- 8.Request to register a lease contract
Dahye (Southern Suburbs) Municipalities Union · undated · read 17 Oct 2026
- 9.Electricity crisis: more supply hours await an international consultant's oversight
Al-Modon · 14 Oct 2026 · read 17 Oct 2026
- 10.From the citizen's pocket to the institution's deficit: how Electricité du Liban stumbles
Al Jazeera · 16 Oct 2026 · read 17 Oct 2026
- 11.On supply and tariff adjustment, what Electricité du Liban announced
Lebanon24 · 1 Apr 2026 · read 17 Oct 2026
- 12.ExpatLife.ai: Renting in Lebanon 2026 (Housing guide)
ExpatLife.ai · 13 Aug 2026 · read 17 Oct 2026
- 13.Legislative Decree No. 88 of 16/9/1983 on co-ownership of built property
Joseph Wanis Official Site (lawyer Joseph Wanis) · 22 Mar 2019 · read 17 Oct 2026
- 14.Managing the ownership of floors and flats (Dr Nader Abdel Aziz Chaffi, Army Magazine issue 302-303, August 2010)
Lebanese Army (Army Magazine, "We and the Law" section) · August 2010 · read 17 Oct 2026
- 15.Privatization by abandonment: water in Lebanon is for those who can pay
Al-Sifr (صفر) · 20 Aug 2026 · read 17 Oct 2026
- 16.Internet prices in Lebanon 2026
Leb Economy (lebeconomy.com) · 15 Aug 2026 · read 17 Oct 2026
- 17.Ministry of Energy and Water issues the private generator tariff for October 2022
Ministry of Energy and Water (Lebanon) · 27 Oct 2022 · read 17 Oct 2026
Related questions
- How do I move an EDL meter into my name after buying or renting?Bring the meter bill, your deed or a municipality-signed lease, and ID to an EDL customer office, after arrears are paid. Fees, gaps and who pays old bills.
- How do I register a lease at the municipality in Lebanon, and what does it cost?Per the Dahye municipalities union, owners register leases by 31 December. Documents, the disputed stamp fee, and when EDL or the Land Registry need it.
- Who pays for the building generator, lift and common-area electricity in Lebanon: owners or tenants?Owners fund lifts and shared equipment through the owners' association under Decree 88/1983; the lease decides what a tenant pays. Rules, votes, arrears.
- How much does a generator subscription cost per month for 5, 10 or 15 amps?Under the September 2026 tariff, 5 A costs LL385,000 fixed plus LL52,840 per kWh in cities. The formula, 10 and 15 A, real bills and illegal extras.
- What are building service charges in Lebanon, who sets them, and what do they cover?The owners' association sets them through a yearly budget and advances; no law fixes the amount. What they cover, how votes work, and unpaid charges.
- How do I get a water subscription in Lebanon and what does it cost?In Beirut and Mount Lebanon, the water establishment cut 2026 set-up fees by 28% (gauge) or 15% (meter). What is known, what is not, and whom to ask.
- Can a foreigner or Lebanese abroad rent an apartment in Lebanon, and what documents are needed?Yes. Lebanese and foreigners can rent any property if they are adults. We found no published document list. What to get in writing, deposits, registration.
- Is my lease old (before 23 July 1992) or new, and why does it matter?Signed before 23 July 1992, a home lease is an old rent under Law 2/2017; later leases are free contracts. How to tell, and what changes for you.
