AN ACT to regulate the relationship of landlord and tenant; to reform and consolidate the law relating to the letting of premises; to provide for the responsibilities of landlords and tenants in relation to the letting of premises; and for related matters.

Landlord and Tenant Act, 2022

The Landlord and Tenant Act, 2022 (Cap. 238) governs rental agreements for homes and business premises in Uganda. It applies to most residential and commercial tenancies, except for stays in hotels, hospitals, or accommodations tied to employment. The Act defines the rights and responsibilities of both tenants and landlords, covering agreements, rent, repairs, termination, and eviction. Whether you are renting a house, apartment, or shop, this law protects you and sets clear rules for fair dealing.<h3>Scope and Key Definitions</h3>This Act covers rental agreements for residential and business premises, including mixed-use homes. The Minister may exempt certain properties. It does not apply to institutions where accommodation is secondary (e.g., hospitals, schools), hotels, motels, or employer-provided housing. Key terms include: tenant (the person renting), landlord (the owner who lets), and rent (payment for use of the property). Even unregistered tenancies can be proven in court.<h3>Making a Tenancy Agreement</h3>A tenancy can be created in writing, orally, or by conduct. If oral, the landlord must keep a written record and give you a copy within 14 days of moving in. Landlords must see your national ID or company registration before signing. For agreements worth 25 currency points or more, you cannot enforce them in court unless they are in writing or digital form. You have the right to receive a signed copy of the agreement immediately after signing.<h3>Landlord's Duties</h3><ul><li>Safe and healthy premises: The property must be fit to live in from the start, meeting Public Health Act and Building Control Act standards. Landlords must maintain exterior and common areas.</li><li>Repairs: Landlords must keep the building in good repair, considering age, type, and location. However, tenants are responsible for damage they cause.</li><li>Taxes and rates: Landlords must pay all property taxes and rates. If a tenant pays, the landlord must reimburse them.</li><li>Utility connection costs: Landlords pay for initial connection of electricity, water, gas, and sewerage. They also pay supply charges if no separate meter exists, and water fixed fees.</li></ul><h3>Tenant's Duties</h3><ul><li>Repairs for damage: You must fix damage you cause through negligence. The landlord will give you 14 days' notice; if you don't act, they can repair and charge you.</li><li>Urgent repairs: You can fix urgent issues like burst pipes or gas leaks if the landlord doesn't act. For non-urgent repairs, give 14 days' notice first. The landlord must reimburse you within 14 days, or you can deduct from rent.</li><li>No unlawful use: You cannot use the premises for illegal activities or allow others to do so.</li><li>Avoid nuisance: Do not disturb neighbours' peace or privacy.</li><li>Prevent damage: Take care to avoid damage, and immediately report any damage to the landlord.</li><li>Cleanliness: Keep the premises reasonably clean unless the agreement says the landlord cleans.</li><li>Fixtures and changes: Get written permission before installing fixtures or making renovations. When moving out, restore the property to its original condition (except normal wear) or pay restoration costs.</li></ul><h3>Tenant's Rights and Protections</h3><ul><li>Quiet enjoyment: Your landlord must not unreasonably disturb you and must address issues like noise from other tenants.</li><li>Non-discrimination: Landlords cannot refuse to rent based on sex, race, color, tribe, religion, disability, or other grounds.</li><li>Void terms: Any term that tries to limit your rights under this Act is automatically void. You cannot be forced to pay the landlord's legal fees.</li><li>Privacy: Landlords must give at least 20 hours' written notice before entering, unless it's an emergency. Illegal entry is an offence.</li><li>Rent receipts: You must get a receipt for every payment, showing the amount and period. Landlords must keep records and provide receipts within 5 working days if requested.</li><li>Advance rent limit: For tenancies longer than one month, you cannot be forced to pay more than three months' advance rent. For shorter tenancies, the limit is two weeks.</li><li>Rent increase limits: Increases cannot exceed 10% per year without your agreement. You must receive 60 days' notice. For fixed-term tenancies, no increase until the term ends. Increases cannot happen more than once every 12 months. Invalid increases are unenforceable.</li><li>Rent reduction: If the landlord stops providing a service (e.g., water, security), your rent must be reduced by a fair amount.</li><li>Security deposit: Cannot exceed one month's rent. Normal wear and tear cannot be deducted. If the property is sold, the deposit must be transferred or refunded.</li><li>Assignment and subletting: You can transfer your tenancy or sublet with the landlord's written consent, which cannot be unreasonably refused. Without consent, the assignment or sublease is invalid, and the landlord may end the tenancy.</li><li>Challenge termination: You can go to court to challenge an unlawful termination. The court can reinstate the tenancy or award damages, but you must keep paying rent during the challenge.</li><li>Unlawful eviction: You cannot be forced out without following proper legal procedures. If evicted illegally, you can get compensation equal to three months' rent plus damages.</li></ul><h3>Rent Arrears and Recovery</h3>If you do not pay rent for more than 30 days, the landlord can re-enter the property with a local council official and police present. The landlord can still recover unpaid rent. Small claims procedures may apply for small amounts.<h3>Termination and Eviction</h3><ul><li>By agreement: Both parties can agree to end the tenancy at any time, in writing, with a clear vacate date.</li><li>By tenant moving out: You can leave if the landlord agrees (written or oral). Permission is final.</li><li>Fixed-term or event-based: Automatically ends on the agreed date or when the event occurs. No notice needed.</li><li>By notice: For residential tenancies, notice periods: 7 days (weekly), 30 days (monthly), 60 days (yearly). Longer notice can be agreed, but shorter is invalid. Both parties must follow the agreement until the end.</li><li>Abandonment: If you are absent for 30+ days without notice and without paying rent, or fail to pay for 15+ days and appear to have left, the landlord can give 14 days' notice to end the tenancy after the notice period.</li><li>Death of sole tenant: The tenancy ends 28 days after the landlord receives notice of death, or after the landlord tells the family to leave, or on a court-set date.</li><li>Termination notice not cancelled by payment: If a landlord accepts rent after giving a termination notice, the notice remains valid.</li><li>Refusal to vacate: The landlord can re-enter with local council and police present if you don't leave after proper notice.</li><li>Vacating after termination: You must leave by the date in the termination notice, even if you disagree, as long as the termination was lawful.</li></ul><h3>Additional Provisions</h3>Appointing an agent: Both landlords and tenants can appoint an agent in writing to handle tenancy matters. The other party must have a copy of the appointment.Amendments to Schedule: The Minister can update technical details (forms, fees) with Parliament's approval.Regulations: The government can make rules for codes of conduct, forms, rental agents, and businesses in mixed-use buildings. Offences can result in fines up to 7,200 currency points or imprisonment up to 3 years.This summary provides a guide to your rights and duties under the Landlord and Tenant Act. For specific legal advice, consult a qualified lawyer.

The Landlord and Tenant Act applies to rental agreements for homes and business premises. The Minister can, with Parliament's approval, exempt certain properties from the Act. Some living arrangements are not covered, including: residence in institutions (like hospitals or schools) where accommodation is not the main purpose; staying in hotels or motels; and occupancy tied to an employment contract. This means if you rent a house or shop, the Act protects you, but if you live in a hotel or as part of your job, different rules may apply.

Learn which rental agreements for homes and businesses are covered under Uganda's Landlord and Tenant Act, including exemptions for hotels, institutions, and job-related housing.

Section 1: Which Rentals Are Covered by the Landlord Act?

This Act applies to the letting of residential and business premises.

The Minister may, by statutory instrument, with the approval of Parliament, exempt particular premises from the operation of the Act.

residence at an institution, whether public or private, where the residence is merely incidental to detention or to the provision of medical, religious, educational, recreational or similar services;

residence in a hotel, motel, or other transient lodging; or

occupancy of premises under a tenancy created or arising under the terms of a contract of employment or any premises entered into in relation to such a contract.

Without limiting the general effect of subsection (2), this Act does not apply to the following arrangements—

Application of Act

This section defines the key words used in the Landlord and Tenant Act. Knowing these meanings helps you understand your rights and duties as a tenant or landlord. For example, 'tenant' means the person renting the premises, and 'landlord' is the person who lets them. 'Rent' is the money paid for using the property and its services. The law applies to both business and residential premises, including mixed-use homes where you also run a business. Even if a tenancy is not registered, you can still use evidence of it in court.

Understand the definitions of important terms like tenant, landlord, rent, tenancy, and more under the Landlord and Tenant Act, 2022.

Section 2: Key Legal Terms for Tenants and Landlords in Uganda

In this Act unless the context otherwise requires—

"annoyance" in relation to a tenancy, means the unwarranted, unreasonable, offensive or unlawful interference in the use or enjoyment of rented premises;

"assignment" means the transfer of the rights or interest in the tenancy from one person to another;

"business" includes trade, profession or employment and includes any activity carried on by a body of persons; whether corporate or unincorporate;

"business premises" in relation to a tenancy, means premises occupied by the tenant for the purposes of a business carried on by the tenant;

"court" means a court of competent jurisdiction and includes local council courts;

"currency point" has the value assigned to it in Schedule 1 to this Act;

"landlord" means a person who lets premises under a tenancy and includes the duly authorised agent of the landlord or a person who is in lawful possession of the premises and has the right to let them;

"Minister" means the Minister responsible for housing;

"premises" means business or residential premises to which this Act applies;

"rent" in relation to a tenancy, means the amount paid to a landlord by a tenant to occupy premises and use facilities and services;

"rented premises" in relation to a tenancy to which this Act applies, means business or residential premises let under the tenancy;

premises which are used solely as a home, residence, sleeping place by a tenant and includes housing estates, tenements, apartment buildings, mobile homes;

mixed-use premises which are used simultaneously for both residential purposes and to carry out a home-based business;

the supplying of means, and the right of access to any place or accommodation accorded to the tenant by reason of the tenant's occupation of the premises comprised in the tenancy;

"services" in relation to a tenancy, means the use of water, light or power, conservancy, sewerage facilities, sweepers, watchmen, telephone or other amenities or facilities available to the tenant except—

"tenancy" means a relationship created by a lease, agreement or assignment and includes a sub-tenancy but does not include a relationship between a mortgagor and mortgagee;

"tenancy agreement" means an agreement, in writing or otherwise, express or implied, under which a tenancy is created;

"tenant" means the person to whom premises are let under a tenancy;

"utilities" includes water, light or power, conservancy, sewerage facilities, sweepers, watchmen, telephone or other amenities or facilities available to the tenant.

Notwithstanding anything in any other written law requiring the registration of tenancies, evidence of a tenancy may, for any of the purposes of this Act, be given in court, whether the tenancy is registered or not.

Interpretation

You can make a tenancy agreement in writing, by word of mouth, or even through actions that imply a landlord-tenant relationship. If you agree verbally, the landlord must keep a written record and give you a copy within 14 days of moving in. Landlords cannot enter into an agreement without seeing your national ID or other identification document. If you are a company, you must provide registration details. A written agreement should follow the standard form in Schedule 2, but you can modify it. This section does not override other laws that require a specific form of agreement.

Learn how tenancy agreements are formed in Uganda - in writing, orally, or by conduct. Landlords must keep records and verify identity. Understand tenant rights and landlord duties.

Section 3: How to Make a Tenancy Agreement in Uganda

partly in writing and partly by word of mouth;

provided that where the parties execute a tenancy agreement, the landlord­ tenant relationship between the parties shall be governed by the terms of the tenancy.

A tenancy agreement in writing shall be in the form prescribed in Schedule 2 to this Act, except that the parties may make any modification to the prescribed form.

of the particulars of the parties to the tenancy;

of the premises comprised in the tenancy;

in the case of a non-citizen, of the details of the immigration status of the non-citizen; and

of the details of the rent payable and the manner of payment.

Where a tenancy agreement is not in writing, the landlord shall keep a record—

The landlord shall give the tenant a copy of the record kept under subsection (3) within fourteen days of the tenant taking vacant possession of the premises.

with an individual, unless the individual provides his or her national identification card or alien's identification card, or any other identification document; or

with a legal person, unless that person provides details of registration or other form of incorporation.

A landlord shall not enter into a tenancy agreement—

For the purposes of this section, "other identification document" includes a driving permit, passport or certified student identification card.

This section shall not affect a tenancy agreement entered into under any other law requiring a tenancy agreement to be made in a specific manner.

Making of tenancy agreements

If you have a tenancy agreement worth 25 currency points or more, you cannot take legal action to enforce it unless the agreement is in writing or in a digital form (like an email). The only other way to enforce it is if the person you are suing admits that the agreement was made. This protects both landlords and tenants by ensuring important deals are recorded. Without a written record or an admission, the court will not help you enforce that agreement.

Learn when a tenancy agreement worth 25 currency points or more must be in writing to be enforceable in court. Know your rights as landlord or tenant in Uganda.

Section 4: Enforcing Tenancy Agreements Over 25 Currency Points

the agreement is in writing or in form of a data message; or

the party against whom enforcement is sought admits that the agreement was entered into.

A tenancy agreement of the value of twenty-five currency points or more shall not be enforceable by action unless—

Tenancy agreement of twenty-five currency points or more to be in writing

You have the right to receive a copy of your tenancy agreement as soon as you and your landlord sign it. The landlord must give you this copy immediately after signing. This protects you by ensuring you have written proof of the rental terms, such as rent amount, duration, and other conditions. If your landlord does not give you a copy, you can remind them of this legal requirement.

Landlords must give tenants a copy of the signed tenancy agreement immediately after signing. This ensures tenants have proof of rental terms and conditions.

Section 5: Landlord Gives Tenant Copy of Tenancy Agreement

A landlord shall, immediately after a tenancy agreement is signed by the landlord and tenant, give a copy of the tenancy agreement to the tenant.

Landlord to give tenant copy of tenancy agreement