In Morocco, 12,000 dirhams to pay before entering an apartment
Finding a rental home in Morocco may force some tenants to pay the equivalent of three months’ rent before even receiving the keys. Consumer associations are calling for regulation of intermediaries’ commissions.
The first month’s rent, an amount demanded in advance by the landlord, and the broker’s commission: these three payments can now pile up when the contract is signed. For an apartment offered at 4,000 dirhams, the new tenant may therefore have to immediately come up with 12,000 dirhams.
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Some intermediaries demand a commission equivalent to a full month’s rent, including when their involvement is limited to publishing a few photographs of the property or putting the landlord and tenant in contact by phone.
This practice particularly penalizes young people, families who are moving, and those forced to find housing quickly after a transfer or obtaining a new job.
The president of the Moroccan Consumer Forum denounces a burden that has become difficult to bear. Some landlords are already reportedly asking for one or two months’ rent in advance, to which the broker’s remuneration is added.
The problem is not limited to housing. According to the association official, some intermediaries may demand up to 20,000 dirhams for having participated in the rental of commercial premises.
No fees imposed on brokers
Contrary to the idea of a complete legal vacuum, brokerage is indeed regulated in Morocco by Articles 405 to 421 of the Commercial Code. However, the law sets neither a mandatory commission equivalent to one month’s rent nor a general ceiling applicable to real estate rentals.
Article 418 provides that, in the absence of an agreement or contrary practice, the remuneration must be paid by the person who instructed the broker to handle the matter. A tenant should therefore not automatically bear the commission when the intermediary was mandated solely by the landlord. This rule has also been confirmed by Moroccan case law.
The Commercial Code also states that a reduction may be requested when the promised remuneration appears disproportionate to the service provided. When the amount has been set neither by agreement nor by practice, it is for the court to assess it, taking into account the work carried out and the rates charged for comparable services.
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The Moroccan Consumer Forum is now calling for clear pricing, regulation of the profession, and the imposition of tax obligations on intermediaries. The aim is to prevent a simple introduction from representing, for the tenant, the price of an entire month’s housing.
