1Listings must be accurate For landlords
- List only properties you own or are authorised to rent out.
- Give the correct rent, property type, amenities and safety features.
- Use recent photos that show the real condition of the unit.
- Pin the exact location on the map, and mark the unit unavailable once it is rented.
Hazard disclosure: tell tenants if the property is in or near a flood zone, the West Valley Fault, a landslide-prone area or another hazard.
2Before you apply For tenants
- Visit the unit, or have someone you trust visit it, before you pay anything.
- Check the hazard map layers around the home: flood zones, the fault line, evacuation centres and hospitals.
- Ask your questions through Map Aware Home messages so there is a record.
- Never pay a reservation fee for a unit you have not seen, or to anyone outside the agreement with the landlord.
3Screening tenants fairly For landlords
- Decide on fair grounds such as the ability to pay rent and references.
- Discrimination based on sex, religion, ethnicity, disability or similar grounds is not allowed.
- Answer rental requests within a reasonable time, and tell applicants when you decline.
4The rental agreement
- Put the agreement in writing before the tenant moves in. You can use the lease form on Map Aware Home.
- State the monthly rent, the due date, the advance rent, the security deposit, the lease length and the house rules.
- The agreement must follow Philippine law. See our Legal Contract Guidelines for what to include.
- Map Aware Home helps you communicate and keep records, but does not enforce contracts.
For units covered by the Rent Control Act (RA 9653), the landlord may ask for no more than one month of advance rent and two months of deposit.
5Rent and payments
- Rent is paid directly to the landlord, in cash or by e-wallet, as agreed. Map Aware Home does not handle money.
- Tenants record each payment with a genuine receipt or screenshot. A fake receipt is fraud.
- Landlords confirm or reject recorded payments honestly, so both sides keep an accurate history.
- A month with no recorded payment after the due date is shown as overdue. Late fees are only what the lease says.
6Living in the unit
- Landlords keep the property safe and fit to live in, and deal with urgent safety problems right away.
- Tenants report repairs promptly through a maintenance request, and look after the unit.
- Follow the house rules in the lease, including those on guests, pets and noise.
- Tenants ask before making changes such as painting or installing fixtures. Agree in the lease when the landlord may enter the unit.
7Renewing, ending and moving out
- Request a renewal before the lease ends. The landlord approves or declines it.
- To leave early, send a termination request with a reason. The lease decides any notice period or penalty.
- At move-out, the tenant returns the keys and leaves the unit clean. The landlord returns the deposit as the lease says, minus only documented damage or unpaid rent.
8Rights on both sides
- Tenants have the right to safe and livable housing, to privacy, to fair treatment, and to the return of their deposit as agreed.
- Landlords have the right to screen applicants fairly, to set lawful house rules, to receive rent on time, and to get the property back in good condition.
Questions?
Email mapawarehome@gmail.com, call (+63) 993 227 3303, or visit our Help Center.