How Ley 820 Automatic Renewal Works
Colombia's Ley 820 builds automatic renewal protections into every residential lease — for both tenant and landlord. Understanding the mechanics before month 9 of your lease will save you significant stress and potentially significant money.
The core rule: a 12-month fixed-term lease automatically renews for another 12 months unless either party gives written preaviso at least 3 full calendar months before the end date. If no one acts, the lease continues under identical terms — same rent, same conditions, same parties.
The 5.10% IPC Cap: Your Financial Protection
When your lease renews, your landlord cannot raise rent above the December IPC index — the consumer price inflation figure published annually by DANE. For 2026 renewals, that cap is 5.10%.
Ley 820 Article 20 establishes this mechanism. It applies to every residential lease renewal in Colombia, with no exceptions based on neighborhood, unit type, or landlord preference.
Current monthly rent × 1.051 = maximum legal renewal rate.
Example: COP 3,500,000 × 1.051 = COP 3,678,500/month maximum.
Any figure above this is illegal and the landlord cannot enforce it.
What If Your Landlord Tries to Raise Above the Cap?
- Inform them in writing of Ley 820 Article 20 and the 5.10% cap
- If they persist, you can report the violation to the Superintendencia de Notariado y Registro
- The above-cap increase is legally void — you cannot be evicted for paying the legal rate
- Document everything in writing (WhatsApp messages with timestamps constitute valid evidence)
The Preaviso Timeline in Practice
| Lease End Date | Preaviso Deadline | What Happens If Missed |
|---|---|---|
| December 31, 2026 | September 30, 2026 | Lease auto-renews Jan 1, 2027 |
| June 30, 2026 | March 31, 2026 | Lease auto-renews July 1, 2026 |
| March 31, 2026 | December 31, 2025 | Lease auto-renews April 1, 2026 |
Colombian courts have accepted WhatsApp messages as contemporaneous written evidence in tenancy disputes. A message sent with a read receipt (double blue tick) at the correct date establishes your preaviso delivery. Still send a backup written letter if the relationship is adversarial.
Negotiating Renewal Terms
Renewal is also an opportunity. If you want to modify your lease — add a pet clause, change the maintenance responsibilities, adjust the deposit arrangement — the renewal discussion is the natural moment to raise it. Landlords who want to keep a good tenant are often more flexible at renewal than they were at lease signing.
Key things worth negotiating at renewal:
- Below-cap increase in exchange for a longer renewal period
- Adding pets to the lease (Propiedad Horizontal buildings cannot ban pets under Law 675 of 2001 — get it in your lease)
- Locking in a 2-year renewal to avoid next year's increase negotiation
- Maintenance responsibility clarifications you've learned during year one
Frequently Asked Questions
5.10% — based on the DANE December 2025 consumer price index. Landlords cannot raise rent above this rate at lease renewal. The legal basis is Ley 820 Article 20.
Yes. A 12-month fixed-term lease automatically renews for another 12 months if neither party gives 3 months' written preaviso before the end date. Both tenant and landlord must act to prevent renewal.
The above-cap increase is legally void under Ley 820. You can pay the legal rate, inform the landlord in writing of Article 20, and if they persist, escalate to the Superintendencia de Notariado y Registro.
Yes. Colombian courts accept WhatsApp messages with timestamps and read receipts as valid written notice. For adversarial situations, supplement with a signed physical letter as backup.
Yes, but they must give 3 months' preaviso. They cannot end your lease with 30 days notice. If they want the property back for personal use, they still must follow the preaviso procedure and may owe compensation depending on circumstances.