Rental Contracts in Bulgaria: What to Include and Red Flags

Published October 5, 2026

Residential leases in Bulgaria are governed mainly by the Obligations and Contracts Act, which leaves the parties a lot of freedom. That flexibility cuts both ways: anything not written down is hard to prove later. As an expat you will also usually need a written contract to register your address with the migration authorities, so it is worth getting right.

What the contract should contain

Parties and property

Full names, ID details and addresses of landlord and tenant — for you, passport number and your Bulgarian personal number for foreigners (ЛНЧ) if you have one. The exact address including entrance, floor and flat number. Ideally a reference to the title deed (нотариален акт). If the flat has co-owners, typically a married couple, the other owner should sign too or give written consent.

Term

Fixed (e.g. 12 months) or indefinite. For an indefinite lease with monthly rent, the statutory notice period is one month unless you agree otherwise. For a fixed term, check what happens if either side wants out early — is there a penalty, and how much?

Rent and payment

Amount in euros, due date, and method. Bank transfer is best; if cash, insist on a signed receipt each time. Say whether and when the rent can change. Without such a clause the landlord cannot raise the rent unilaterally during a fixed term.

Deposit

The amount, what it can be used for (unpaid bills, damage beyond normal wear) and how many days after move-out it is returned. See our article on rental deposits.

Utilities and fees

Who pays electricity, water, gas, internet and the building maintenance fee, and whether you pay suppliers directly or via the owner. The annual property tax and the municipal waste fee are by law the owner's responsibility unless you explicitly agree otherwise.

Repairs

The usual split: the tenant handles minor repairs caused by everyday use (light bulbs, a blocked drain), the owner handles major ones (water heater failure, leaking pipes). Write it down so there is no argument about who buys a new boiler.

Inventory

A handover protocol (приемо-предавателен протокол) listing furniture, appliances, their condition and meter readings, attached as an integral part of the contract.

Other clauses

Pets, smoking, subletting, owner access (with notice, not at any time), and consent to address registration.

Red flags

The owner won't show the title deed or ID.
Money is requested before a viewing or before signing.
All obligations and penalties fall on the tenant.
The deposit is "non-refundable" or returned "at the landlord's discretion".
No notice period; the owner can end the lease "at any time".
The contract states a lower rent than you actually pay, "for tax reasons". In a dispute this works against you.
An intermediary signs without a notarised power of attorney.

Language

The law does not require Bulgarian, but in practice contracts are almost always in Bulgarian. A bilingual Bulgarian–English contract is the best option. Authorities such as the Migration Directorate will expect a Bulgarian text or a translation. Don't sign what you don't understand — check the key points (term, deposit, penalties) with a translation.

Notarisation is not required

A plain written contract signed by both parties is valid. Having the signatures notarised gives the contract a "certain date", which helps if the flat is sold during your tenancy. Note that address registration for foreigners often requires a separate notarised declaration of consent from the owner — that is a different document, covered in our article on documents and address registration.

The landlord's tax

An individual landlord pays income tax on rent: a flat 10% on the rent reduced by a 10% statutory expense allowance, so effectively about 9% of the rent. When the tenant is a private person, the landlord pays quarterly advance tax and declares the income in the annual return by 30 April. As a private tenant you owe no tax on the rent. If your employer or company is the tenant, it withholds the tax instead.

Avoiding this tax is the most common reason landlords resist a written contract.

If the landlord refuses a contract

Offer a short one- or two-page contract covering the essentials — sometimes the reluctance is just about effort.
Explain you need it for your residence paperwork. Some owners agree once they see why.
If you move in anyway, keep evidence: bank transfers marked "rent", messages, photos, witnesses to the deposit payment. These can prove an oral agreement.
If you need address registration, you will not get it without a contract and the owner's consent. Keep looking.

Without a contract the risks are real: eviction without notice, sudden rent increases and a deposit dispute that is hard to win.