Renting a flat without a contract? Risks for landlords and tenants in Moldova
What landlords and tenants lose without a rental contract in Moldova: deposit, utilities, evidence, 7% tax and a practical checklist.
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We check apartments, commercial properties and documents before purchase. We assist with transactions, construction and property disputes in Chișinău and across Moldova.
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We check the property, documents, and registry restrictions.
What we will discuss
- The property and your objective.
- Available documents and matters to be checked.
- Next steps and the legal support you need.
Practice lawyers
Other lawyers from the team may join the work depending on your matter.
Legal assistance with real estate
We review residential and commercial property and assist with transactions and construction, from land use through to the sale of a completed property.
Legal due diligence on real estate
When you need to check a property’s history, permits and transaction risks.
Legal due diligence on real estate
When you need to check a property’s history, permits and transaction risks.
Legal due diligence on real estate
Deep verification of the object's history, analysis of urban plans (PUG, PUZ), checking privatization legality, and identifying title-challenge risks.
Apartment check before purchase
When the buyer needs to know whether the property is in the register and whether hidden risks exist.
Apartment check before purchase
When the buyer needs to know whether the property is in the register and whether hidden risks exist.
Apartment check before purchase
We check cadastral data, seller rights, encumbrances, ownership-transfer history, construction and acceptance documents, as well as debt, tax, utility, and safe notarial payment risks.
M&A and Transaction Support
When ownership needs to be checked and a secure payment process agreed.
M&A and Transaction Support
When ownership needs to be checked and a secure payment process agreed.
M&A and Transaction Support
Structuring transactions (including asset-backed M&A), developing secure payment mechanisms (escrow), and registering rights in the Cadastre.
Urban Planning and Permits
When the project is already constrained by certificates, permits, and municipal decisions.
Urban Planning and Permits
When the project is already constrained by certificates, permits, and municipal decisions.
Urban Planning and Permits
Accompanying land destination changes, obtaining urban certificates, and construction permits. Interaction with local authorities.
Commercial property leases
When rent, duration and termination terms need to be agreed.
Commercial property leases
When rent, duration and termination terms need to be agreed.
Commercial property leases
Drafting and negotiating complex lease agreements for shopping centers, office buildings, and logistics complexes. Balancing party interests.
Commissioning and Legalization
When completion needs to be formally accepted or alterations legalised.
Commissioning and Legalization
When completion needs to be formally accepted or alterations legalised.
Commissioning and Legalization
Legal assistance in the final acceptance procedure (Recepție la terminarea lucrărilor), legalizing redevelopments and unauthorized construction.
Construction and Land Litigation
When the dispute is already affecting the land, contractor, investor, or access to the site.
Construction and Land Litigation
When the dispute is already affecting the land, contractor, investor, or access to the site.
Construction and Land Litigation
Court defense in disputes over plot boundaries, termination of investment contracts, recovery of contracting debts, and challenging state agency refusals.
Review
When a property needs legal review
We review title, documents and restrictions before they become an expensive problem.
Title
Buying an apartment or commercial property
Before investing, you must verify the clarity of title, absence of hidden encumbrances, red lines, and the legality of previous ownership transfers.
- Title review
- Encumbrances
- Risk map
Asset
Launching a development project
You are planning construction. It is necessary to obtain an urban planning certificate and construction authorization without delays and unjustified refusals.
- Agreement
- Risk allocation
- Negotiation
Risk
Problematic assets and legalization
The object is built with project deviations, or the land plot is not properly registered. The goal is to bring documentation into legal compliance (Recepția finală).
- Payment mechanics
- Document transfer
- Signing control
Examples from practice
Examples of how we protect our clients' assets and money in the Moldovan real estate market.
01Commissioning a Blocked Business Center
An entire commercial hub was barred from opening due to critically missing blueprint protocols from the previous administration.
Commissioning a Blocked Business Center
An entire commercial hub was barred from opening due to critically missing blueprint protocols from the previous administration.
What we did
We rebuilt the missing documentation, assembled the litigation position, and brought the asset to lawful launch.
Result:
Rights restored through strategic litigation. The 15,000 sq.m facility became fully operational legally.
02Land plot boundary dispute
A neighboring developer illegally erected a fence, seizing 15 ares of our client's land, blocking warehouse access.
Land plot boundary dispute
A neighboring developer illegally erected a fence, seizing 15 ares of our client's land, blocking warehouse access.
What we did
We documented the boundary violation, proved the damage, and pushed the dispute to an enforceable judgment.
Result:
We secured a court order to demolish the illegal fence and won significant compensation for the temporary inability to exploit the premises.
03Commissioning a problematic residential complex
The developer couldn't hand over the building due to a network contractor conflict and the Mayor's office refusing to sign the acceptance act.
Commissioning a problematic residential complex
The developer couldn't hand over the building due to a network contractor conflict and the Mayor's office refusing to sign the acceptance act.
What we did
We assembled the commissioning file, closed the contractor conflict, and turned the authority refusal into a workable court path.
Result:
Settled the dispute with the contractor, prepared missing documents, and forced the authorities via court to issue the final acceptance act (Recepție).
How we handle a property transaction
A land management or contract error can manifest years later. We prefer a systemic approach that eliminates future problems.
Property and document review
We check cadastral data, the seller’s rights, encumbrances, title history and construction documents.
- Title review
- Encumbrances
- Risk map
Negotiating the terms
We prepare or review the agreement, allocate risk and coordinate the terms with the other party and the notary.
- Agreement
- Risk allocation
- Negotiation
Preparing the payment
We check the arrangements for securely transferring funds and documents before the transaction is signed.
- Payment mechanics
- Document transfer
- Signing control
Signing before a notary
We assist with signing before a notary and the transfer of funds and documents.
- Notarial closing
- Settlement
- Document handover
Registering ownership
We oversee registration of the transfer of ownership.
- Title registration
- Entry review
- Issue resolution
Support after the transaction
We assist with legal matters after the transaction, including utility contracts and tenancy arrangements.
- Utility agreements
- Leasing
- Property support
Frequently asked questions
Short answers to the questions worth discussing before a transaction or project starts.
When should a real estate lawyer be involved before the transaction rather than after signing?
Whenever the asset matters to the business or there is even a small doubt about title, documents, land, permits, or future use. After signing, many risks are no longer manageable decision points but expensive problems.
Can a problematic property be legalized without stopping the project?
In many cases yes, if the exact legal break is identified first: land, permits, technical documentation, acceptance, or the dispute with contractors and authorities. The right scenario is usually a sequence of legal steps rather than a single formal request.
What should be prepared for the first consultation on a property or project?
Usually the property or land documents, the project and permit base, the structure of the deal or conflict, and a clear idea of the target outcome are enough: acquisition, protection, commissioning, recovery, or legalization. If the file is incomplete, work can still start from the current picture and the risk map can be built step by step.