Renting a villa in Thailand: who repairs what, and when a landlord can terminate (CCC Sections 546-570)

If a Koh Phangan villa lease says nothing about repairs, late rent or ending the lease, who is responsible for what? The Civil and Commercial Code (CCC) chapter on hire of property (Sections 537-571) fills the gaps: the landlord ('letter') must deliver the property in good repair and make necessary repairs during the term, the tenant ('hirer') must use it as agreed and do ordinary maintenance and petty repairs, and a landlord can terminate for unpaid rent only after a notice giving at least 15 days where rent is payable monthly or longer.

The default rules, section by section

• Section 546 — the landlord must deliver the property in a good state of repair.
• Sections 547 and 550 — the landlord reimburses the tenant's necessary and reasonable expenses to preserve the property (not ordinary maintenance or petty repairs) and is liable for defects arising during the lease, making the repairs that become necessary, except those which by law or custom fall on the tenant.
• Section 552 — the tenant may not use the property for anything other than ordinary and usual purposes or those stated in the contract. A villa let as a home is not a licence to run a guesthouse; see renting out your villa: rules and taxes.
• Section 553 — the tenant must take the care an ordinarily prudent person takes of their own property and do ordinary maintenance and petty repairs.
• Section 555 — the tenant must allow the landlord or agents to inspect at reasonable times.
• Section 562 — the tenant is liable for loss or damage caused by their own fault, by people living with them or by a sub-tenant, but not for damage from proper use.

When a landlord can end the lease early

• Misuse or breach (Section 554) — if the tenant acts contrary to Section 552 or 553 or the contract terms, the landlord may notify them to comply and, if they do not, terminate.
• Unpaid rent (Sections 559-560) — with no agreed date, rent is due at the end of each rent period. On non-payment the landlord may terminate, but where rent is payable monthly or at longer intervals must first notify the tenant that payment is required within a period of not less than 15 days.
• Lease with no fixed term (Section 566) — either side can end it at the end of a rent period on notice of one rent period, though no more than two months' notice is needed.
• Holding over (Section 570) — if the tenant stays after the term and the landlord, knowing, does not object, the lease is deemed renewed for an indefinite period, which then falls under the Section 566 notice rule.
• Loss of the property (Section 567) — if the whole property is lost, the lease is extinguished.

Condition on return

Under Section 561, if no written description of the property's condition was signed by both parties, the tenant is presumed to have received it in good repair and must return it that way unless they can prove it was out of repair at delivery. A signed handover inventory with photos is therefore the single most useful document for both sides when a deposit dispute arises.

What this means in practice

• These are defaults — a contract can allocate repairs and termination differently, and Section 549 makes the sale-law rules on defects and eviction apply to leases as well; see seller liability for defects and seller warranty against eviction.
• Residential leases may be a controlled contract — the Consumer Protection Board's controlled-contract rules can override unfair terms; see the 2025 residential lease controlled contract.
• Write the gaps — state who pays for pool, pump, air-con and roof repairs, and define what counts as 'petty'; see lease contract clauses to check.
• A sale does not end the lease — see tenant lease survives sale (Section 569).

This is general information, not legal advice; the exact notice mechanics for a termination should be confirmed with a Thai lawyer before you act.