Mahigit isang buwang advance payment at 2 mons. deposit...

Bawal kung wala pang P10-K ang renta sa bahay

ni Atty. Persida Rueda-Acosta - @Magtanong Kay Attorney | March 11, 2021

Dear Chief Acosta,

Ako ay may nais upahang bahay sa Quezon City na nagkakahalaga ng Php 6,000 monthly rent. Hinihingan ako ng may-ari ng bahay ng Php 30,000 katumbas ng tatlong buwan na advance monthly rent at dalawang buwan na security deposit. Ganun ba talaga ‘yun? – Litoy

Dear Litoy,

Ang mga batas na sasaklaw patungkol sa inyong katanungan ay ang Republic Act No. 9653, o mas kilala bilang Rent Control Act of 2009. Nakasaad sa Sections 5, 7 at 13 nito na:

“Section 5. Coverage of this Act. - All residential units in the National Capital Region and other highly urbanized cities, the total monthly rent for each of which ranges from one peso (P1.00) to ten thousand pesos (P10,000.00) and all residential units in all other areas, the total monthly rent for each of which ranges from one peso (P1.00) to five thousand pesos (P5,000.00) as of the effectivity date of this Act shall be covered, without prejudice to existing contracts.
xxx xxx xxx
Section 7. Rent and Requirement of Bank Deposit. - Rent shall be paid in advance within the first five (5) days of every current month or the beginning of the lease agreement unless the contract of lease provides for a later date of payment. The lessor cannot demand more than one (1) month advance rent. Neither can he/she demand more than two (2) months deposit which shall be kept in a bank under the lessor’s account name during the entire duration of the lease agreement. Any and all interest that shall accrue therein shall be returned to the lessee at the expiration of the lease contract.
xxx xxx xxx
Section 13. Penalties. - A fine of not less than twenty-five thousand pesos (P25,000.00) nor more than fifty thousand pesos (P50,000.00) or imprisonment of not less than one (1) month and one (1) day to not more than six (6) months, or both, shall be imposed on any person, natural or judicial, found guilty of violating any provision of this Act.
xxx xxx xxx” (Binigyang-diin)

Alinsunod sa mga nabanggit na probisyon ng batas, at sa kadahilanang ang halaga ng inyong nais upahan na bahay ay hindi hihigit sa P10,000, ang nagpapaupa ay hindi maaaring maningil nang mahigit sa isang buwan na advance rent, at higit sa dalawang (2) buwan na deposito. Samakatwid, ang panghihingi ng nagpapaupa mula sa inyo ng kabayarang may katumbas na tatlong (3) buwan na advance rent ay ilegal, at siya ay maaaring managot sa batas alinsunod sa mga nabanggit sa itaas.

Nawa ay nasagot namin ang inyong katanungan. Nais naming ipaalala sa inyo na ang opinyong ito ay nakabase sa inyong mga naisalaysay sa inyong liham at sa pagkakaintindi namin dito. Maaaring maiba ang opinyon kung mayroong karagdagang impormasyon na ibibigay. Mas mainam kung personal kayong sasangguni sa isang abogado.

Maraming salamat sa inyong patuloy na pagtitiwala.