Holiday Rental Agreement in Mauritius: The Owner’s Guide
Updated: 24 hours ago
The short answer: yes, a written rental agreement is essential, even for a direct booking of just a few nights. Mauritian law leaves wide contractual freedom, so it is your agreement that sets the rules if there is a dispute. At a minimum, it should cover the parties, the villa and its inventory, the dates, the price and payment schedule, the security deposit, the cancellation terms, the maximum number of guests, the house rules, liability, a cyclone clause and the governing law.
This guide is for owners who let their villa or apartment to holidaymakers, directly or through a website like ours. It covers holiday (vacation) rentals of a few nights to a few weeks, not long-term residential leases, which follow different rules.
Do you need a rental agreement to rent your villa directly?
Yes. On Airbnb or Booking, the platform’s terms act as the contract. When you rent directly, without an agreement, nothing proves what was agreed: price, number of guests, deposit, cancellation. A signed agreement also protects the guest and reassures international clients who book a villa worth several thousand euros from abroad. An electronic signature (Yousign, DocuSign…) is fine.
Too many owners settle for a template found online or copied from a European rental company. Mauritian specifics (tourism licence, tourist fee, local tax, cyclone risk) call for a tailored document.
The legal framework in Mauritius
The Mauritian Civil Code and freedom of contract
Mauritian contract law derives from the French Civil Code. The parties are free to set their own rules (length of stay, price, deposit, cleaning fees, restrictions) as long as the clauses are not unfair or contrary to public policy. In a dispute, the agreement is the first thing examined: it must be precise and unambiguous.
The Tourism Authority licence
Renting furnished accommodation to tourists for a fee generally falls under the “tourist residence” category of the Tourism Authority, which issues the Tourist Accommodation Certificate (TAC). Check that your villa is registered, or that the management company of your residence (IRS, RES or PDS scheme) handles it, and state the licence number in the agreement.
The tourist fee
Since 1 October 2025, a tourist fee of €3 per night per person aged 12 and over applies in accommodation registered, or required to be registered, with the Tourism Authority. It is paid by the guest, collected by the host and paid monthly to the MRA (Mauritius Revenue Authority). The agreement should state whether it is included in the price or charged on top.
Tax on rental income
Rent from Mauritian sources is taxable in Mauritius. For individuals, rates range from 0% to 20% depending on income; companies pay 15%, and 15% VAT applies above the registration threshold. Payments should be traceable (bank transfer, payment platform): the agreement states how payment is made and who bears the taxes. Have your situation checked by a Mauritian accountant.
The 12 essential clauses of a villa rental agreement
1. The parties
Name, address and contact details of the owner (or their agent) and of the lead guest, plus the tourism licence number.
2. Description of the villa
Address, floor area, number of bedrooms, facilities (pool, air conditioning, boat, golf cart) and included services (cleaning, cook, butler). Attach the inventory as an appendix.
3. Dates and times
Arrival and departure dates, check-in and check-out times, and any fees for a late arrival or late departure.
4. Maximum occupancy
Maximum number of guests and the guest list, to avoid “friends who turn up unannounced”. Specify whether outside visitors are allowed, and at what times.
5. Price and payment schedule
Total price and what it includes (cleaning, linen, electricity, tourist fee), the deposit on booking (often 30 to 50%) and the date the balance is due (often 30 to 60 days before arrival).
6. Security deposit
Amount, method (cashed or a simple card pre-authorisation), the cases in which it can be withheld and the refund deadline. A solution like Swikly avoids blocking money on the guest’s card: see our article on tenant deposits with Swikly.
7. Cancellation terms
A refund scale based on the cancellation date, and what happens if the owner cancels (see below).
8. House rules
Events and parties, noise (Mauritius is a quiet island, and upscale residences enforce strict rules), pets, smoking, use of the pool and equipment.
9. Liability and insurance
Who pays for breakages, the guest’s obligation to hold holiday liability insurance, and the deadline for reporting damage.
10. Disclaimer clause
Unsupervised pool, sea, water sports, equipment: guests use them at their own risk, especially children. This clause does not cover the owner’s own fault, such as faulty equipment.
11. Cyclone and force majeure clause
What happens in the event of a cyclone warning, a cancelled flight or a closed airport (see below).
12. Check-in inventory, governing law and language
A joint inventory and condition report on arrival and departure, with dated photos. Mauritian governing law and the competent court. For international guests, a bilingual French-English agreement is the safest option, stating which version prevails.
What cancellation terms should you set?
This is the most common oversight, and the most costly. Three common policies, to adapt:
Flexible: full refund up to 30 days before arrival, then 50%.
Moderate: non-refundable deposit, balance refunded up to 60 days before arrival.
Strict (high season, Christmas, New Year): amounts paid are non-refundable, unless the villa is re-let for the same dates.
Recommend cancellation insurance to your guests, and state what happens if you cancel: a full refund or an equivalent villa.
What to include for cyclones
The official cyclone season runs from November to mid-May, with the risk concentrated from January to March (see our guide to the best time to visit Mauritius). The clause should specify:
postponement, credit or refund if the flight is cancelled or the airport closed;
the instructions to follow at each warning level issued by the Mauritius Meteorological Services;
that cyclone damage is the owner’s responsibility, not the guest’s;
that there is no refund for a few days of rain or wind without an official warning.
The most common mistakes
Copying a European agreement without adapting it to Mauritian law and cyclone risk.
Not capping the number of guests or regulating events.
Leaving out the payment schedule and cancellation policy.
Asking for a cash or cheque deposit, which is impractical with overseas guests.
Skipping the joint check-in inventory, which makes any deduction from the deposit easy to dispute.
Rent out your villa with Villas Luxe Maurice
Do you own a high-end villa in Mauritius? List your villa for rent on our website: no exclusivity, you set your own prices, calendar and terms, and you receive enquiries from guests directly. To see how our villas are presented: Anahita villa rental, villas on the east coast and villas in Grand Baie.
This article gives general guidance and is not legal or tax advice. Have your agreement reviewed by a Mauritian lawyer or notary.
FAQ – Rental agreements in Mauritius
Do you need a rental agreement to rent your villa directly in Mauritius?
Yes. When you rent directly, without a platform, the agreement is the only proof of what was agreed: price, dates, number of guests, deposit and cancellation.
What should a holiday rental agreement in Mauritius include?
The parties, the villa’s description and inventory, dates and times, maximum occupancy, price and payment schedule, the deposit, cancellation, house rules, liability, a cyclone clause and the governing law.
Do you need a licence to rent your villa to tourists in Mauritius?
Generally yes: renting furnished accommodation to tourists falls under the “tourist residence” category of the Tourism Authority, which issues the Tourist Accommodation Certificate (TAC).
Who pays the tourist fee in Mauritius?
The guest, at €3 per night per person aged 12 and over; the host collects it and pays it monthly to the MRA. The agreement should state whether it is included in the price.
What cancellation policy should you set for a villa rental?
A deposit (often 30 to 50%) and a refund scale based on the cancellation date, stricter in high season. Recommend cancellation insurance to your guests.
What should a rental agreement say about cyclones?
Postponement or a refund if the flight is cancelled or the airport closed, the instructions to follow at each warning level, and that cyclone damage is the owner’s responsibility.
Should the rental agreement be in English or French?
Both languages are used in Mauritius. For international guests, a bilingual French-English agreement is the safest option, stating which version prevails.