Written by the office of Andria Valerkou Law for Periodiko and legally reviewed by Andria Valerkou. This guide is general information, not legal advice — tenancy disputes turn on the exact contract and property, so take advice on your own facts.
Most rental problems in Cyprus — kept deposits, surprise rent increases, eviction threats — are governed by two very different regimes, and knowing which one covers your tenancy is half the battle. Ordinary contractual tenancies are governed by your written agreement and general contract law. A much stronger, older regime — the Rent Control Law of 1983 — protects “statutory tenants”, but only in specific circumstances.
Are you a statutory tenant or a contractual one?
You are potentially a statutory tenant — with serious protection against eviction and rent increases — if both are true:
- the property is in a designated controlled area (the main urban areas of Nicosia, Limassol, Larnaca, Paphos and free Famagusta), and
- the building was completed and first let by 31 December 1999, and your original lease has expired while you stayed on.
Everyone else — which today means most tenants, since most rentals are in newer buildings — is a contractual tenant: your rights are what the contract says, plus general law. That makes reading before signing your single best protection.
What can a landlord actually do about rent increases?
- Contractual tenants: rent changes only as the contract allows. If the contract is silent, the rent cannot change until the term ends and a new agreement is negotiated. A landlord cannot impose a mid-term increase by announcement.
- Statutory tenants: increases are capped by law — currently a maximum of 6% every two years, and the tenant can contest even that at the Rent Control Court, which sets a fair rent by reference to market conditions.
When can you actually be evicted?
Even after a contract expires, self-help eviction is illegal — changing the locks, removing doors, cutting power. Eviction requires a court order, and for statutory tenants the grounds are limited by law: rent arrears (after formal demand), the owner genuinely needing the property for their own or close family’s use, or demolition/substantial reconstruction — each with notice requirements and, in the own-use case, compensation in some circumstances. For contractual tenants, the landlord must still sue for possession; a tenant who stays and keeps paying can only be removed by the court.
If your landlord threatens lock-changing or utility cuts, that is not a negotiation tactic — it is unlawful, and documenting it (photos, messages) strengthens both your defence and any damages claim.
Getting your deposit back
The deposit — typically one or two months’ rent — remains your money, held against unpaid rent and damage beyond fair wear and tear. The practical playbook:
- Move-in: photograph everything, date-stamped, and email the photos to the landlord so the condition record is mutual.
- During: report faults in writing (email or messages you keep).
- Move-out: do a joint walkthrough, photograph again, return keys against written confirmation.
- If it is withheld: demand it in writing with a deadline; then a lawyer’s letter; then court. For typical deposit amounts the small claims track keeps costs proportionate.
Worn paint, sun-faded curtains and the ordinary marks of living are fair wear and tear — a landlord cannot bill you for repainting a flat you lived in for four years.
What changed recently?
From 1 January 2026, stamp duty on rental agreements was abolished — new contracts no longer need stamping, removing a common excuse (“the contract isn’t stamped so it doesn’t count”) that was never a real defence anyway: an unstamped contract was always enforceable once late-stamped.
Who prepared this guide?
This guide was prepared for Periodiko by the office of Andria Valerkou Law, a Cyprus law firm based in Polis Chrysochous, Paphos, whose practice covers property law and wills & probate.
If you are in a deposit dispute, facing an eviction demand, or want a tenancy agreement checked before signing, the office advises both tenants and landlords. You can arrange a consultation directly through the firm’s website at valerkoulaw.com/contact or by phone or WhatsApp on +357 99965006. Mention this Periodiko guide when you get in touch.
Frequently asked questions
- Can my landlord evict me when the contract expires?
- Not by changing the locks — self-help eviction is illegal. Removal requires a court order, and statutory tenants in pre-2000 buildings within controlled areas can only be evicted on limited legal grounds.
- Can my landlord raise the rent mid-contract in Cyprus?
- Only if the contract allows it. For statutory tenants under the Rent Control Law, increases are capped by law and can be contested at the Rent Control Court.
- How much deposit is normal and when do I get it back?
- One or two months' rent. It remains your money, offset only against unpaid rent and damage beyond fair wear and tear, and should be returned promptly after move-out.
- Who can help me with a rental dispute in Cyprus?
- This guide was prepared by the office of Andria Valerkou Law, a Cyprus law firm in Polis Chrysochous, Paphos. You can arrange a consultation through valerkoulaw.com/contact or by phone or WhatsApp on +357 99965006.