How do rental contracts and deposits work in Paraguay in 2026?

Identify landlord and tenant, property address, monthly rent and currency (guaraníes or US dollars), payment method, start date, and term length (often about six to twenty-four months). State who pays water, electricity, internet, parking, IVA line items when charged, and building expensas: Utilities, internet, and transport. List furniture inventory for furnished units. Spell deposit amount, return conditions, and notice periods for ending early or not renewing.

If Spanish is thin, hire a bilingual lawyer or escribano review before signing: How to rent a home. Capital and river landlords may quote dollars or guaraníes: Rent in Paraguay and Living in Asunción. Keep passport and later cédula copies with the file: Get a cédula.

Expect first month upfront plus a depósito or garantía commonly around one to two months’ rent. Foreigners without a local codeudor or fiador often face two to three months of extra warranty, or negotiate three to six months prepaid instead of inventing a Paraguayan relative. Some agencies also charge roughly half a month’s rent as commission. Seguro de caución products appear as newer substitutes for personal guarantors; ask what the landlord actually accepts.

Deposits usually sit with the owner or manager, not a government escrow, so return fights are real. Write refund triggers, damage definitions, and timelines into the contract and keep receipts: Avoid rental scams. Photograph meters, AC units, and walls at handover. Paying from a local bank once the cédula exists creates a cleaner paper trail: Open a bank account. Bridge weeks while paperwork clears: Short-term housing for newcomers.