Renting Out Studio Apartments in Colombia: A Guide for Landlords, Law 820 Contracts, and Included Utilities

You have a studio apartment in Bogotá, Medellín, Cali or Bucaramanga and the real estate agency wants to charge you between 8% and 10% to find you a tenant. Renting directly is perfectly possible, but there are three places where landlords mess things up: the contract, the utilities and the infamous "deposit of one month". Let's go step by step.

Quick answer: the studio apartment is governed by Law 820 of 2003; you cannot demand a cash deposit or blank promissory notes; you protect yourself with a rental insurance policy; the rent adjusts only every 12 months and is capped at the CPI.

Contract types under Law 820 of 2003

Article 4 of Law 820 of 2003 classifies housing contracts into four types: individual, joint, shared and pension. In an independent studio apartment, with its own registration, the individual contract applies. If it is an internal division of a house or floor that shares entrances or meters, the shared contract applies, or the individual contract with agreed services.

Watch out: a studio apartment is not a room for rent or a boarding house. If it is in a horizontal property regime, Law 675 of 2001 also applies alongside Law 820.

Two more practical facts:

• The monthly rent cannot exceed 1% of the commercial value of the property (or of the portion rented), and that commercial value cannot exceed twice the current cadastral appraisal (article 18).
• If you want to end the contract at expiry, the written notice must not be less than 3 months, sent by authorized postal service.

To set the price, check the market in your area: it varies by socioeconomic stratum, whether it is furnished or not, parking and administration fees. Don't copy an average from the internet as if it were official.

Utilities: included in the rent or with submeters

The law distinguishes between connected services (domestic public utilities and what is inherent to enjoying the property) and additional services that you may provide occasionally. The parties may agree whether or not they are included. The important point: the property is liable to the utility company if the tenant does not pay, so this is not a minor matter.

Option A: services included with a cap

This works when there is a single meter. Write in the contract what the rent covers (water, electricity, gas, internet) and set a reasonable consumption cap in kilowatt-hours and cubic meters. Any excess, supported by the official bill, is charged separately.

Option B: submeters

In subdivided properties you can install internal sub-meters and agree on the proration in the contract. My advice: start and end with signed meter readings, because the most common dispute is "I didn't use that much".

Option C: guarantee with the service company

Article 15 allows an exclusive services guarantee with the utility company, which does not exceed two billing periods, and it serves to disconnect the property from future debts.

If the studio apartment has an independent meter, it is normal for the tenant to pay the services directly.

Why you cannot ask for a deposit (article 16)

Here is the classic mistake: "one month's deposit just in case". Article 16 of Law 820 prohibits requiring cash deposits, bills of exchange or blank promissory notes as collateral for urban housing, and clauses that stipulate them are null and void by law. There is no exception for furnished units. Demanding it can bring investigations and sanctions from the city hall or the Housing Secretariat.

The legal alternative is the rental insurance policy or digital surety bond with supervised insurers or surety companies. They usually cover rent, administration and services, and many do the tenant screening online, without needing a co-signer with real estate.

If you rent it furnished, do this:

1. Detailed inventory of furniture and household items.
2. Photographic record signed by both parties.
3. Handover record and a clause for replacement of items damaged through negligence.
4. Insurance policy for damages or furnishings, or a joint guarantor.

And watch out for scams: fake transfer receipts and profiles with no local ties. Verify background, run a credit check before handing over keys, and sign with biometric authentication at a notary or with certified electronic signature.

Horizontal property: building rules and administration

The tenant must abide by the condominium regulations: pets, noise, common areas and visitors. Give them a copy when signing. Ordinary administration fees are joint liability toward the building, meaning the condominium will always charge you. The cleanest option is to pay it yourself directly and include it in the rent. If the building has conflicts at assemblies, see our guide on challenging assembly minutes under Law 675.

The annual adjustment only applies every twelve months of continuous contract, and its ceiling is 100% of the CPI of the previous calendar year (article 20). Notify it in writing before applying it.

Step by step to rent your studio apartment directly

1. Prepare the space: photos with good light and a wide-angle lens, with details of the kitchen and storage.
2. Write a clear listing: socioeconomic stratum, floor, elevator, whether services are included and that a rental insurance policy is required. That filters out the curious. There are more ideas in Post a free rental listing for landlords.
3. Screen candidates: documents, digital credit check and identity verification.
4. Sign the contract with the data required by article 3 of the law, with inventory and service clauses.

An honest downside: renting directly takes time, with visits, calls and candidates who disappear. In exchange you save the commission and choose the tenant yourself. Facebook Marketplace or WhatsApp groups also work, although there is more noise and more scammers there. You can see how other rentals are presented in the housing section.

According to active listings on Colombia Move (November 2026), the apartment category has 58 active rental listings and 8,843 views, and short-term rental has only 2 active listings.

Frequently asked questions

❓ Is it legal to ask for one month's deposit if the studio apartment is furnished?

No. Article 16 of Law 820 of 2003 prohibits requiring cash deposits for urban housing, whether furnished or not. To back up the furniture, use an inventory with photos and a damage or furnishings policy with an insurer (verify with the official source).

❓ How do I guarantee payment of utilities if we share the meter?

The most practical option is to agree on a rent with services included and a consumption cap in kilowatt-hours and cubic meters. Excess amounts, supported by the utility company's bill, are charged as an additional amount. You can also install submeters (verify with the official source).

❓ What is the maximum I can raise the rent each year?

The cap is 100% of the CPI of the previous calendar year, and only when the contract has completed twelve continuous months. Notify the adjustment in writing before applying it. In addition, the rent cannot exceed 1% of the commercial value of the property (verify with the official source).

❓ What is the difference between an individual and a shared contract?

The individual contract is used for an independent studio apartment, with its own registration or access. The shared contract applies when it is an internal subdivision of a house or property where entrances or areas are shared with other occupants (verify with the official source).

❓ What happens if the tenant does not pay the building administration fee?

The condominium will charge the landlord, because ordinary administration is joint liability toward the building. That is why it is best to pay it directly and add it to the monthly rent, or require a policy that covers the administration fee (verify with the official source).

❓ How do I rent safely and avoid scams?

Verify identity and background, run a digital credit check before handing over keys, and do not accept only transfer screenshots: confirm the money is in your account. Take out a rental insurance policy and sign with biometric authentication or certified electronic signature (verify with the official source).

❓ Where can I publish a studio apartment for rent without intermediaries?

On direct classifieds such as Colombia Move, where you can create a free listing in the housing section with photos, location and description, with no commission on the rent. You can also use other portals or local groups.