Rental Disputes in Jordan: Landlord and Tenant Rights and Eviction

Rental relationships in Jordan are governed by the Landlords and Tenants Law No. 11 of 1994, as amended, the Civil Code and the terms of the lease. Assessing a dispute starts with identifying the type of property and the date the lease was made, because the same rules do not apply to every agreement. This article focuses generally on residential and commercial rentals; other arrangements, such as agricultural leases, may require a separate review of which law applies.

The Landlords and Tenants Law distinguishes between leases made before 31 August 2000 and those made on or after that date. For a lease made before that date, Article 5 provides for continued occupation after the contractual term in accordance with the lease and its conditions. Leases made on or after 31 August 2000 are governed by their terms and expire at the end of the agreed term.

If a lease includes an automatic-renewal clause, review its wording and the timing of any notice that the tenant does not wish to renew. The law contains a specific one-time renewal rule for leases within its scope, so neither a written end date nor an informal understanding should be considered in isolation from the contract and applicable law.

One statutory basis for seeking eviction is a tenant’s failure to pay rent due or an agreed share of common service charges, or breach of a lease condition, if the tenant does not remedy the default within fifteen days after service of a formal judicial notice in accordance with the law. Whether the amount is due, the notice was properly served and the conduct amounts to a breach must be assessed against the lease and facts.

The fifteen-day period does not mean that eviction happens automatically when an ordinary message is sent, nor does it apply in the same way to every rental dispute. Check the type of notice, how it was served, the applicable deadline and the appropriate procedure before acting.

Keep the signed lease and every amendment or renewal, rent receipts or bank-transfer records, communications about rent or repairs, formal notices and proof of service. Photographs of the property, a handover record, service or repair invoices, and written agreements changing the rent or occupation terms may also help.

Organising the documents by date can clarify whether the dispute concerns an amount due, the lease term or a contractual condition, and helps assess both a claim and a response.

Responsibility for repairs depends on the type and cause of the problem, the lease and the relevant legal rules. Describe the issue to the other party in writing and keep photographs, invoices and replies instead of relying only on a phone call or making a change that could affect proof of the property’s condition.

When a lease ends or the parties agree to end it, record the handover date, the property’s condition, keys, meter readings and any amounts settled. A handover record signed by both parties can reduce later disputes about damage, rent or services.

Read the notice in full, record when and how it was served, and keep a copy along with any evidence of rent payment or remedying the alleged breach. Do not ignore deadlines in a notice or court papers, and do not assume that paying a disputed amount or handing over a key alone resolves every claim.

A landlord should review the lease and supporting documents and identify the appropriate legal procedure before seeking eviction or possession. Avoid replacing the legal process with self-help measures, such as changing locks or removing belongings, until the proper course for the circumstances is clear.

A written settlement may resolve a dispute about rent, repairs or the move-out date if it clearly states the amounts, deadlines, each party’s obligations and how the property will be handed over. Oral promises or unclear messages can leave uncertainty about what was agreed.

Reviewing the lease, notices, receipts and correspondence helps identify the landlord’s or tenant’s rights, obligations and available options. Aburabie Law Office in Amman provides legal advice and assistance with lease agreements and landlord–tenant disputes in Jordan.