Create and Terminate a Registration

Mandatory Registration:
As from 1st January 2020 lease contracts for a primary residential purpose must be registered by the owner with the Housing Authority within thirty (30) days from the commencement of the lease. The lease contract needs to be registered online on the website www.rentregistration.gov.mt. In case of any difficulties, an appointment can be arranged with the Customer Care within the Housing Authority. In order to arrange an appointment with a Housing Authority representative, please phone 22991010 or send an e-mail to [email protected].

Requirements:
All the private residential leases drawn up after the law comes into force on 1st January 2020 shall be done in writing and must include the following requirements:

• The property which is being leased;
• Intended use as agreed;
• The period covering the lease;
• Whether, and how, the lease can be renewed;
• The lease amount and how this should be paid;
• Any amount deposited by the lessee by way of security, for the performance of his obligations;
• An inventory attesting the condition of the premises as well as the state of any furniture and domestic appliances supplied by the lessor. This is mandatory for contracts with commencement dates from 1st January 2020 onwards.
• The Lessor Self-Declaration officially provided by the Housing Authority confirming details of property. This can be found at https://rentregistration.mt/forms/

For a Long Let or Short Let Contracts, pls click this link to download template contract

If the template contract is not used, this document needs to be annexed to the contract.

Which contracts need to be registered:
The Act is only applicable for those lease contracts for a primary residential purpose which were drawn up after 1st June 1995. Residential leases which were drawn up after 1st June 1995, but prior to the coming into force of this Act and which would still be in force on 1st January 2021, whether within the original term or a renewed one, must be registered no later than 1 January 2021.

Download template contract

If the template contract is not used, this document needs to be annexed to the contract.

For more information on the different type of contracts and a sample contract please click the following link

To register a lease online you will need to either log-in using your E-ID here or create an online account here.

For E-ID users, personal details will be filled in automatically by the system.

1. Click Create Account from the homepage

2. Enter your E-mail address and Create a Password

3. Confirm Password

4. Click Create Account

5. You will receive an e-mail on the e-mail address you provided to Verify Email Address

6. From the e-mail you receive click on Verify Email Address

7. You will be re-directed to the My Profile page

All users need to create a profile to be able to register their lease contract.

1. First you need to select the profile type:

Individual: The term ‘individual’ refers to a lessor, lessee or third party individual who is registering on behalf of another individual (Example: An individual who as power of attorney)

Company: The term ‘company’ refers to those individuals registering a lease contract of a property which the company is renting. A ‘company’ needs to include the company registration number.

Agent: The term ‘agent’ refers to real estate agents who register on behalf of lessors.

2. Fill in all personal details

3. If the profile type is Company or Agent also fill in Company Details

4. Fill in address fields

5. Click Save and Proceed

1. Once a Profile is created, click on the Contract Registration box.
2. The first step is to fill in the Property Details.
   • Important Note: Property addresses are automatically populated by the system and cannot be edited.
   • Step 1: Choose your Locality
     • Click on the dropdown menu and select the locality of the premises being leased.
   • Step 2: Select the Street
     • Click on the dropdown menu and select the street of the property being leased.
   • Step 3: Select the Residence Name/Number
     • Click on the dropdown menu and select the residence name/number of the leased property.
3. Upload the ‘Lessor Self-Declaration’ document.
   • Important Note: Uploading the ‘Lessor Self-Declaration’ document is mandatory to proceed.
4. After reading the declaration, tick the declaration checkbox.
5. Click Continue.
6. The second step is to fill in the Tenancy Details.
7. When filling in the Tenancy Details, you need to upload both the signed contract and inventory.
8. Click Continue.
9. The third step is to fill in the Details of Lessor.
10. If there is more than one lessor, click Add Lessor.
11. Click Continue.
12. The fourth step is to fill in the Details of Lessee.
13. In the case, that there is more than one lessee click Add Lessee
    • Important Note: You can only add up to the number of lessees declared in the Tenancy Details section in the ‘Number of Residents including Lessees in this Contract’ field.
14. Click Continue.
15. The fifth and final step is to click Yes if an authorized individual is part of the contract; if No, proceed to the next step.
16. If Yes, fill in the Details of Authorized Individual Acting On Behalf Of A Party In This Contract.
17. After reading the terms & conditions, tick the terms & conditions checkbox.
18. Click Submit.
19. A pop-up window to pay the registration fee will be shown. Please submit your payment details accordingly.
20. Upon submission, you will receive a notification email outlining that your application for the registration of a Private Residential Lease was received and will be reviewed. The vetting process may take up to 10 working days.
21. The platform will send you an automated notification if the Housing Authority requires any clarification or further information on the subject registration.
22. You will be notified when the application is reviewed and accepted or refused.

When you are registering a contract and you do not proceed with payment, the registration application is saved in draft status and may be accessed later from the Draft Contract Registrations option, under the Contract Registration section from the left toolbar. The Registration is only submitted, after all five sections are filled in, click Submit and pay the Registration Fee.

The Require Feedback option under the Contract Registration section from the left toolbar allows you to access the lease contracts that have not been registered since the Housing Authority requires further feedback.

You can access the contract from the ‘Require Feedback’ section, click on Edit and amend the contract to satisfy the mandatory requirements and necessary shortcomings as requested by the Housing Authority during the vetting process in order to finalise the registration.

This PoA Form describes the power of attorney according to the Housing Authority’s policy for the private residential agreements to be registered under Cap 604/2019 of the Laws of Malta. A power of attorney (“PoA”) is a written authorization to represent or act on another’s behalf.

Parties entering a lease agreement by means of a Power of Attorney, may make use of the Power of Attorney(“PoA”)/Mandate specimen provided by the Housing Authority (PoA Form) or else submit to the Authority their own Power of Attorney (“PoA”) which has to be in writing, signed by the mandator and the mandatory, and by a witness who must be a professional and holding a valid warrant according to the Laws of Malta.

When filling the online registration form the page named ‘Details of Authorized Individual Acting On Behalf Of A Party In This Contract’ has to be filled with the details of the Power of Attorney.

Renewable Agreements

Lease Agreements that in the contract specify that the lease will be renewed automatically, are required to renew their online registration. The following is the procedure to follow:

1. Log in on the portal with your account or E-ID account
2. Click on Contract Registrations
3. Click My Registrations section
4. Find the subject registration and click on View
5. Click Renewals
6. Click Renew
7. Fill in the new Termination date and Annual Rent
8. Click Submit

Renewing a contract which is non-renewable  

Lease Agreements that in the contract do not specify that the lease will be renewed, but parties agree to renew their online contract registration, need to follow the following procedure:

1. Log in on the portal with your account or E-ID account
2. Click on Contract Registrations
3. Click My Registrations section
4. Find the subject registration and click on View
5. Click Renewals
6. Click Renew
7. Fill in the new Termination date, Annual Rent, and upload the signed Renewal Declaration
8. After reading the disclaimer, check disclaimer checkbox
9. Click Submit
10. Proceed with payment of €5
11. Renewal will be verified, and an approval notification will be sent once this is approved
12. Should you require to confirm about the status of your renewal, click on Renewals and check the current renewal status column.
13. In case any amendments are required, an email notification is sent. These must be fulfilled within seven (7) days and prior the termination date. Failure to submit these amendments prior termination of the original lease, agreement will be automatically renewed for another period of one year with the exact same conditions as stipulated in Article 9(2) of Chapter 604 of the Laws of Malta.

Terminating a Registered Lease Agreement

If the lessor does not intend to renew the lease, the lessee must be informed at least three (3) months prior to the termination of the contract by means of a registered letter;

If the lessor fails to notify the lessee within the established period, the lease is renewed automatically for a year.

To terminate the online registration the following procedure is to apply:-

1. Log in on the portal with your account or e-id account
2. Click on Contract Registrations
3. Click My Registrations section
4. Find the subject registration and click on View
5. Click Terminate
6. The Termination Date is automatically filled according to the termination of the lease contract
7. Upload the Termination notice sent to the lessee
8. After reading the disclaimer, check disclaimer checkbox
9. Click Terminate
10. A notification will be sent to all parties confirming the termination request
11. Once the registration is terminated on its termination date, another notification will be sent to all parties

Deregistering a Registered Lease Agreement

Note: The lessor in a registered contract can deregister the Active online registration. If parties agree to deregister their lease agreement prior the original date, or when the lessee/s leave the property without notice, the below procedures are to be followed in order to deregister either with immediate effect or prior the original termination date of the contract.

1. Login:

Log in to the portal using your registered account or E-id account.

2. Navigate to Contract Registrations:

Click on “Contract Registrations” from the Menu table.

3. Access My Registrations:

Click on “My Registrations.”

4. Select Active Registration:

Find the active subject registration and click on “View.”

5. Initiate Deregistration:

Click the “Deregister” button located at the top.

6. Choose Deregistration Date:

Click the Deregistration Date and select the desired date from the drop-down calendar.

The chosen date must be before the original contract termination date.

Special Cases:

If deregistration is on the contract termination date, please contact us via email at [email protected].

7. Documentation Required:

When Parties Agree to Deregister a Registration prior the contract Termination date.

If parties agree to deregister before the termination date, upload a signed letter by all parties. Letter needs to include the following-

• Registration reference number,
• Leased Property address,
• Names of lessor/s and lessee/s,
• Date of Deregistration,
• Signatures of all parties in the original contract.

Alternative to Letter when lessee/s moves/move out without giving notice:

If a letter is not possible, fill, sign, and upload the termination form.

8. Accept Terms and Conditions:

After reading and agreeing to the Terms and Conditions, tick the Disclaimer box.

9. Final Deregistration:

Click the “Deregister” button after agreeing to the Disclaimer.

10. Confirmation:

If you agreed with the deregistration date, click “Yes.” Otherwise, click “Cancel” to go back to the previous screen.

Email Notification:

An email notification confirming the deregistration request will be sent to all parties with registered emails.

In case a Deregistration is scheduled and want to Edit it, please follow these Steps: –

Editing/Amending a Deregistration Date:

If you need to amend the deregistration date, repeat steps 1-10 to update the dates accordingly. A file upload confirming the new dates is required.

Notification:

Once the registration is deregistered on the selected date, another email notification will be sent to all parties with registered emails.

Limitation:

Editing is not possible if a registration is already deregistered.

Mistaken Deregistration:

If a registration is mistakenly deregistered, it needs to be registered again as long as the contract is still valid.  Fees apply for the re-registration process.

Deregistering a Registered Lease Agreement by the Housing Authority on behalf of the Lessor

Note: This procedure is applicable to lessors where the registration was submitted from a third party on their behalf, and they do not have direct access to it.

1. Use the provided Termination Form in case the lessee/s moved out without giving a notice or the agreed letter by all parties in a contract.
2. It must be signed by the lessor/s or an authorized agent in the contract, while the letter where parties agree to terminate must contain all information requested under the documentation required.

Disclaimer Declaration:

1. Sign the disclaimer declaration form. Click here

Documentation Required:

2. When Parties Agree to Deregister a Registration prior the contract Termination date.
   If parties agree to deregister before the termination date, upload a signed letter by all parties. Letter needs to include the following-
   • Registration reference number,
   • Leased Property address,
   • Names of lessor/s and lessee/s,
   • Date of Deregistration,
   • Signatures of all parties in the original contract.

Submission:

3. Send the completed request forms and declaration to [email protected].

Validation:

The Housing Authority holds no responsibility for the termination of the lease registration.

Re-registration is possible if the agreed lease period has not elapsed.

Important Note:

The Housing Authority does not take responsibility for the termination of lease registration.

Re -registration is possible, ensuring the agreed lease period in the contract has not elapsed and is still valid. Fees apply for the re-registration process.

Contact:

For any queries or clarifications, contact the Housing Authority at [email protected].

Normal Registration Fee: €10
Normal Registration will be free of charge during year 2020.

Late Registration Fee: €120
Late Registration Fee applies if the registration of the private residential lease contract is not registered within 30 days from the commencement of the lease contract.

Renewal of Agreement Fee: €5
Lease agreements which upon termination are renewed, need to be re-registered and the renewal fee of €5 applies.

No fees are due for the renewal of lease agreements that in the contract specify that the lease will be renewed each year.

Private Residential Leases (Fees) Regulations, 2020

This process is intended when a lessee is moving out of a property and is being substituted by another incoming lessee in the same registered contract. The number of lessees in a contract should be the same number of lessees declared in the original contract. This process can only proceed if all parties involved i.e the lessor, the outgoing lessee, the incoming lessee, and any existing lessees are in full agreement.

A Substitution of Lessee Agreement must be signed, which can be found at https://rentregistration.mt/forms/.

Once the agreement is filled and signed by all parties, please submit your request by sending an email on [email protected] Your request will be reviewed and you will be notified once it has been either accepted or refused.

• This option allows a registrant or lessor to submit a request to add or remove a lessee on an active registered contract.
• If the contract began before September 1st, you can add or remove a lessee only if the contract is still within its original duration and has not been renewed.
• For contracts that start on or after September 1st, 2024, the request can be submitted even after the contract has been renewed.
• Approval of addition of lessee is subject to the resident capping emerging from the Amendments to the Act XX of 2024 and Subsidiary Legislation.

Step by Step guide on how to Add a Lessee:

1. Log in on the portal with your account or E-ID account
2. Click on Contract Registrations
3. Click My Registrations section
4. Find the subject registration and click on View
5. Go to Details of Lessee in Section 4
6. Press on Add Lessee found on the top right
7. Fill in the Details of the incoming Lessee
8. Upload the Addition of a Lessee Agreement. A template can be found at https://rentregistration.mt/forms/
9. Press on Continue
10. On submission, you will receive an automated e-mail, outlining that your request has been submitted and will be reviewed
11. Should there be any missing document, missing signature or wrong details inputted on the online form, you will be notified that your request is refused and the above procedure from 1-9 is to be repeated.
12. You will be notified when the request is reviewed and accepted

Step by Step guide on how to Remove a Lessee:

1. Log in on the portal with your account or E-ID account
2. Click on Contract Registrations
3. Click My Registrations section
4. Find the subject registration and click on View
5. Go to Details of Lessee in Section 4
6. Find the lessee you wish to be removed and press Remove Lessee which is found below the details of each lessee
7. Upload the Lease Termination Agreement. A template can be found at https://rentregistration.mt/forms/
8. Press on Continue
9. On submission, you will receive an automated e-mail, outlining that your request has been submitted and will be reviewed
10. Should there be any missing document, missing signature or wrong details inputted on the online form, you will be notified that your request is refused and the above procedure from 1-8 is to be repeated.
11. You will be notified when the request is reviewed and accepted