Renting an apartment in Thiès, Senegal: where to look, deposit, lease and complaints

To rent an apartment in Thiès, Senegal, start from listings with photos and a precise location. Visit before you pay anything, and get a receipt for every payment. If the monthly rent is 500,000 FCFA or less, decree no. 2023-382 of 24 February 2023 caps the deposit (caution) at two months' rent: one month at move-in, the rest spread over twelve months. The same decree bans rent paid in advance, as reported by Le Soleil (11 October 2026). Residential leases fall under Senegal's Code of Civil and Commercial Obligations (COCC): either three years, renewable, or open-ended. If there is a dispute, CONAREL, the national rent regulation commission, has an office in Thiès.

Finding an apartment in Thiès without getting caught out

Start online, check in person, and pay only after the visit. The Thiès property listings on Imonga let you compare what is on the market before you travel. To judge whether a rent is fair, compare several listings with similar size and equipment. This article gives no rent figures: at the time of writing we have no sourced rent data for Thiès. If you are also looking at other Senegalese cities, see the listings for Dakar, Diamniadio and Saly.

Many rentals go through informal brokers (démarcheurs). Le Soleil describes brokers charging viewing fees of 2,000 to 5,000 FCFA before any talk about rent. None of the texts we consulted sets these fees or the broker's commission. Before the visit, agree in writing on how much you will pay, to whom and when.

Before handing over any money, check at least:

• The landlord: ID, and proof that they own the property or hold a written mandate (manager, relative, agency).
• The apartment: visit in daylight. Check water and electricity, whether meters are individual or shared, and the state of the bathroom.
• Payments: a dated, signed receipt for every sum. Never pay a deposit to “reserve” a place you have not seen.
• Your file: ID, proof of income, and a guarantor if the landlord asks for one.

If you are renting from abroad, have someone you trust visit for you, and pay only once they have confirmed the apartment exists and matches the listing.

Deposit and advance rent: what a landlord can ask for at move-in

For rents of 500,000 FCFA a month or less, the deposit is capped at two months, and rent is paid after the month you have lived there. Decree no. 2023-382 of 24 February 2023 is listed in Official Journal no. 7605. It amends law no. 2014-03 of 22 January 2014 on rent reductions. According to Au-Sénégal (1 March 2023), it came into force on 1 March 2023 and covers residential leases only. Under it, rent is now paid “après consommation”, meaning after the month has been used.

Item	Reported rule (rent of 500,000 FCFA or less)
Maximum deposit	Two months' rent
Due at move-in	One month of deposit
Second month of deposit	Spread over the following twelve months
Advance rent	Banned: rent is paid after the month you have lived there

Example, applying the rule reported by Le Soleil and Au-Sénégal: with rent of 150,000 FCFA, the deposit cannot exceed 300,000 FCFA. You pay 150,000 FCFA at move-in, then 12,500 FCFA a month for twelve months on top of the rent.

Two caveats. We could not read the full text of the decree online, so these rules come from press reports that agree with each other (Le Soleil, Au-Sénégal). Above 500,000 FCFA, the sources we consulted give no cap, so the deposit is open to negotiation. If you are unsure how the rules apply to you, check with CONAREL before paying.

The lease under the COCC: length, charges, notice

In Senegal, a residential lease is signed either for three years, renewable, or for an open-ended period. The COCC articles on leasing are reproduced by CONAREL. They cover, among others, premises used as homes (article 568).

Topic	What the COCC says	Article
Length	Three years, renewable by tacit renewal for further three-year periods, or open-ended	571
Payment	The tenant pays rent “au terme convenu” (on the agreed date). Unless the lease says otherwise, the landlord collects it (“quérable”)	553
Charges	Recoverable charges are due only “sur justification” (on proof)	573
End of a three-year period	Notice by extrajudicial act served six months before the current three-year period ends, for the tenant and for the landlord (on pain of nullity for the landlord)	574
Leaving an open-ended lease	Two months' notice, served on the landlord by extrajudicial act	576

The two-month notice comes from law no. 85-37 of 23 July 1985, which cut the tenant's notice from six months to two. A text message is not enough: the law requires an extrajudicial act, which a bailiff (huissier) serves. Before signing, check whether your lease is for three years or open-ended, because the notice period depends on it.

If there is a dispute in Thiès

Go to CONAREL first: it tries to reach an amicable settlement. According to its official website, the Commission nationale de régulation du loyer des locaux à usage d'habitation was created by decree no. 2023-446 of 1 March 2023. Its regional and departmental commissions receive complaints and try to settle them amicably “before any legal proceedings”. Thiès office: 76 625 25 98 or 76 625 25 99. Head office in Dakar: 33 801 65 99, free number 800 80 77 77. Bring your lease, receipts and written messages.

This answer is general and is not personal advice: before you commit, have your situation checked by a notary or a lawyer.

Frequently asked questions

Can a landlord in Thiès ask for three months' deposit?

Not if the monthly rent is 500,000 FCFA or less. As reported by Le Soleil and Au-Sénégal, decree no. 2023-382 then caps the deposit at two months' rent: one month at move-in, the second spread over twelve months. Above 500,000 FCFA, we found no cap in the sources we consulted. The deposit is negotiable there, and the amount should be written into the lease.

Do I have to pay the first month's rent in advance?

Not for residential leases covered by the 2023 decree. The press reports that advance rent is banned and that rent is paid after the month you have lived there. The COCC also says rent is paid “au terme convenu”, on the agreed date (article 553). Put the payment date in the lease and keep a receipt for every payment.

How much notice do I give to move out?

With an open-ended lease, two months, served on the landlord by extrajudicial act (COCC article 576). With a three-year lease, article 574 requires notice by extrajudicial act six months before the current three-year period ends if you do not want the lease renewed. Check your lease to see which kind you signed.

How much does a broker charge in Thiès?

None of the texts we consulted sets broker commissions or viewing fees. Le Soleil reports viewing fees of 2,000 to 5,000 FCFA, charged before any talk about rent. Before the visit, agree in writing on the total amount, who pays it (tenant or landlord) and when it is due. Always ask for a receipt.

Who do I complain to if the landlord breaks the rules?

To CONAREL, which has an office in Thiès (76 625 25 98 or 76 625 25 99). Its regional and departmental commissions receive complaints and try to settle them amicably before any legal proceedings. Bring a copy of the lease, your deposit and rent receipts, and any written messages with the landlord or broker.

Sources

• Le Soleil, column of 11 October 2026: decree no. 2023-382 of 24 February 2023; deposit capped at two months for rent of 500,000 FCFA or less (one month at move-in, the rest over twelve months); advance rent banned; viewing fees of 2,000 to 5,000 FCFA. Accessed 23 October 2026.
• Au-Sénégal, 1 March 2023: in force from 1 March 2023; residential leases only; deposit limited to two months; rent paid “après consommation”. Accessed 23 October 2026.
• Official Journal no. 7605 (vie-publique.sn): reference for decree no. 2023-382 of 24 February 2023 amending law no. 2014-03 of 22 January 2014. Accessed 23 October 2026.
• CONAREL, rent FAQ: text of COCC articles 553, 568, 571, 573, 574 and 576. Accessed 23 October 2026.
• CONAREL, official website: created by decree no. 2023-446 of 1 March 2023; missions; amicable settlement; contacts including the Thiès office. Accessed 23 October 2026.
• Law no. 85-37 of 23 July 1985 (vie-publique.sn): tenant's notice cut from six months to two, served by extrajudicial act. Accessed 23 October 2026.