It is frequently brought up, but the minimum period that a condo can be legally rented for is 30 days. Rentals for shorter periods would need the condo building to have a hotel license, which only a few currently have. However, before the pandemic, we saw a significant increase in the number of short-term rentals offered to holidaymakers, mainly via websites such as Airbnb and booking.com. Some agencies had also jumped on the bandwagon, keen not to miss out on what potentially could be a very lucrative market.
Is this something that has recently been introduced?
While there has undoubtedly been a shift away from long-term rentals, this is not something that has led to a new rule being introduced. The reality is that it was a rule that few people knew about as demand for rentals of less than 30 days was so low, and indeed, very few agencies would entertain booking of less than six months. The problem has arisen because residents become frustrated by the ever-revolving door of guests who treat their “home” like a hotel. The problem is compounded by the issue of the condominium’s insurance, that should something go wrong, these guests unlikely to be covered.
Is it a law that we should be concerned about?
It is a question that is quite difficult to answer, particularly when condo owners are looking for tenants wherever they can. We can definitely not living in “normal” times at the moment, so how heavily it would be policed is hard to say. Several condos have still got signs up stating that they do not accept short-term guests, but it seems that very few actually enforced their own rules and turn a blind eye. The main target appears to be co-owners offering these short-term rentals, but the juristic office is in danger of alienating people when they need as many people onside as possible.
Are there condos with hotels licenses?
There are several condos in Pattaya managed by large hotel chains, and the majority do have hotel licenses, which means that rentals of any length would be permitted. At present, very few people will be planning to stay in Pattaya for less than 30 days due to quarantine and the amount of effort it takes to get all the necessary documentation, so it probably is not something that people should concerned about. Some people have speculated that the rule will change and hotel licenses will not be required, but this is likely to be met by opposition by the condos that have “done things by the book”.
Conclusion
When you finish quarantine and wish to book a condo for 30 days once you leave (as per the current 45-day visa on arrival), then you wouldn’t have any concerns whatsoever, and everything would be legal. The issues surround rentals of shorter durations when we encourage people to book a unit in a condo with a hotel license. If you are unsure which these are, our friendly and helpful team can assist you.
