Tenant Law · Romania
Lawyer Tenant Law in Romania: Know Where You Stand
Tenancy problems in Romania are decided on written contracts, statutory limitation periods and court fees that change with the type of claim. Tell us what has happened and we will match you with a lawyer who handles tenant law in Romania as part of their daily practice.
- Romanian Bar-registered lawyers
- Leases, deposits and eviction matters
- Free, no-obligation matching
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Why this page exists
A housing dispute needs a lawyer who knows Romanian procedure
Renting a home in Romania raises questions that a general checklist cannot answer: what your lease actually obliges you to do, who pays for repairs, how a deposit is recovered, and what happens when a landlord asks you to leave. Romanian tenancy matters are decided under a civil-law system built on written codes, heard by a four-tier court structure, and subject to specific court fees and limitation periods. That is why it helps to speak with a lawyer who handles tenant law in Romania every day, rather than rely on forum advice. We do not give legal advice ourselves. We match you, free of charge, with a Romanian avocat whose practice covers landlord and tenant disputes, so you can discuss your situation with someone qualified to handle it.
Romania in practice
How tenant matters work in Romania
Romanian tenancy disputes sit inside a continental civil-law system: written codes matter more than earlier judgments, procedure is set by a separate code, and costs and time limits are fixed by statute. The points below show how that framework shapes a lease, deposit or eviction problem.
A civil-law framework, not binding precedent
Romanian courts apply comprehensive codes rather than binding case law. The Civil Code (Law No 287/2009, in force since 1 October 2011) and the Civil Procedure Code (Law No 134/2010) set the framework within which lease obligations, notices and claims are assessed. Judgments are not generally a source of law, although certain rulings of the High Court of Cassation and Justice bind the lower courts.
Which court hears the claim
The ordinary courts form a four-tier hierarchy. The judecătorii (local district courts) are the first instance for most civil claims below statutory value thresholds; the tribunale hear larger first-instance cases and appeals against judecătorie decisions; the 15 curți de apel hear appeals; and the Înalta Curte de Casație și Justiție, seated in Bucharest, sits at the apex. Proceedings are conducted in Romanian.
Who is entitled to represent you
Membership of a Romanian bar (barou) is compulsory in order to practise law, and all bars are united in the National Association of Romanian Bars (UNBR). Only lawyers registered with a Romanian Bar may act before the Romanian courts. In civil cases the parties may appear in person, but representation by a qualified lawyer is required before the courts of appeal and the High Court of Cassation and Justice.
Court fees and access to legal aid
Court actions carry a judicial stamp fee under Government Emergency Ordinance No 80/2013, payable in advance and due both at first instance and on appeal. Eviction claims attract a fee of 100 lei, while money claims follow a degressive sliding scale. Free legal aid under Government Emergency Ordinance No 51/2008 may cover a lawyer’s fees and court-fee relief for applicants on very low income.
Limitation periods you should not miss
Debt and contractual claims, including rent arrears and deposit disputes, are generally subject to a three-year limitation period. Actions concerning real property rights, such as the recovery of an immovable, carry a ten-year period. A claim filed too late can be rejected before its substance is examined, which is why early advice on timing matters as much as the merits.
The Land Book and authentic notarial form
Ownership of Romanian immovables is publicised through the Land Book (cartea funciară), where registration of a transfer is as a rule constitutive. Under Article 1244 of the Civil Code, conventions transferring or constituting real rights entered in the Land Book must take authentic notarial form, on pain of absolute nullity — a point that becomes relevant when the ownership of the flat you rent is in question.
Key time limit — Property & Real Estate Law
Actions concerning real property rights (recovery of immovables) — 10 years. Used where possession or ownership of an immovable is disputed.
Every country detail on this page is drawn from official Romanian and European sources (the e-Justice Portal and the Romanian legislation portal) consulted in 2025.
- European e-Justice Portal — National justice systems: Romania
- Law No 51/1995 on the organisation of the legal profession (Romanian legislation portal)
- Government Emergency Ordinance No 80/2013 on judicial stamp fees; GEO No 51/2008 on legal aid
- Civil Code (Law No 287/2009) — limitation periods, Land Book, notarial form
Common situations
What brings tenants to a lawyer
Most tenancy problems start small and become procedural very quickly. These are the situations clients describe to us most often.
A notice you did not expect
A landlord’s letter can arrive with a deadline and wording that is hard to follow. Understanding what it actually requires, and by when, is the first step before you reply, negotiate or move out.
Deposit withheld without reasons
You returned the keys and are still waiting for your money. Contractual claims in Romania are subject to limitation periods, so waiting quietly can weaken your position. A lawyer can review the lease and the correspondence.
Repairs and who pays
Damp walls, a heating system that fails, a leak nobody fixes: the argument is usually about who carries the cost and what the lease says. Written terms and careful evidence matter far more than verbal promises.
How we help
Matching built around Romanian procedure
We do not advise you on the law. We find the practitioner who does, and we make the first step simple.
Housing and contract practices
We match you with a Romanian avocat whose work covers leases, co-ownership and the court procedures that follow, rather than a generalist who sees a tenancy file once a year.
Bar registration checked
Only lawyers registered with a Romanian bar (barou), united in the UNBR, may act before the Romanian courts. You speak with someone entitled to represent you through the four-tier court structure.
Costs explained upfront
Stamp fees under GEO No 80/2013 and freely negotiated lawyers’ fees are discussed before you commit, and your lawyer can tell you whether legal aid under GEO No 51/2008 might apply.
One form, a clear next step
Tell us the type of dispute, the city and how you prefer to be contacted. We compare your details with lawyers available in Bucharest, Cluj-Napoca, Timișoara, Iași, Constanța, Brașov and elsewhere in Romania.
Cross-border context
Clients also contact us about
Tenancy questions often cross borders — a landlord living abroad, a tenant moving for work, or a property held through a company. Matching is available for matters connected to Romania and the countries below.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a lawyer to deal with a tenancy problem in Romania?
In civil cases the parties may appear in person, but representation by a qualified lawyer is required before the courts of appeal and the High Court of Cassation and Justice. Only lawyers registered with a Romanian Bar may act before the Romanian courts. For a contractual dispute, early advice usually costs less than the delay it prevents.
Can I find a lawyer for tenant law in Romania through this site?
Yes. Describe your situation and we match you free of charge with a lawyer for tenant law in Romania whose practice covers leases, deposits and eviction proceedings. Lawyers’ fees are freely negotiated between lawyer and client in Romania; there is no binding official tariff, so you agree the terms directly with the practitioner.
Which court will hear my tenancy case?
The judecătorii (local district courts) are the first instance for most civil claims below statutory value thresholds. The tribunale hear larger first-instance cases and appeals against judecătorie decisions, the 15 curți de apel hear appeals, and the High Court of Cassation and Justice in Bucharest sits at the apex. Proceedings are in Romanian.
Are there court fees for an eviction or deposit claim?
Yes. Eviction claims attract a judicial stamp fee of 100 lei. Money claims follow a degressive sliding scale under GEO No 80/2013, beginning at 8% up to 500 lei. The fee is payable in advance and is due at first instance and on appeal. Free legal aid may exempt or reduce it for eligible applicants.
How long do I have to bring a claim about unpaid rent or a withheld deposit?
Debt and contractual claims are generally subject to a three-year limitation period, while actions concerning real property rights carry a ten-year period. Filing after the period has run can end a claim on procedural grounds alone, so it is worth checking your dates with a lawyer before negotiating further.
How does being a non-resident affect a tenancy in Romania?
Non-resident individuals are taxed in Romania only on Romanian-source income, which includes rental income, subject to any double-taxation convention, and a Romanian tax registration number (NIF) from ANAF is needed. Buildings such as flats and houses may be owned by any foreigner, while land acquisition by non-EU nationals is restricted.
Free matching
Tell us about your tenancy problem
One short form is enough: the type of dispute, the city and your contact details. We will match you with a Romanian lawyer whose practice covers tenant law, and you decide whether to instruct them.