Cap. 16 Art. 1532Presumptive duration of lease.

(1) In the absence of an express agreement or of circumstances tending to show the intention of the contracting parties as to the duration of the lease, the following rules shall be observed:

(a) the letting of an urban tenement or of a movable shall be deemed to be made for the period in respect of which the rent has been calculated, that is, for one year, if the rent has been agreed upon at so much a year; for one month, if the rent has been agreed upon at so much a month; for one day, if the rent has been agreed upon at so much a day: Provided that if it is not made to appear that the rent has been agreed upon by the year, the month or the day, it shall be deemed to have been agreed upon according to usage;

(b) the letting of a rural tenement shall be deemed to be made: if the tenement is capable of producing fruits, for the period which is necessary for the gathering of the produce of four years; if the tenement is not capable of producing fruits, for the period in respect of which the rent is calculated, as is provided in the case of urban tenements;

(c) if any particular usage is proved in regard to the duration of the letting of certain things, such things shall be deemed to be let out for the period fixed by such usage.

(2) The provisions of sub-article (1) do not apply with regard to the lease of urban, residential and commercial property made after 1st January, 2010:

Provided that any private residential leases entered into after the 1st January, 2020, shall be presumed to have been entered into for a period of one (1) year, unless the parties agree to a short private residential lease or the letting of shared residential space in accordance with the Private Residential Leases Act.