Everyone must formally register their primary residence. In addition, all tenants (including foreigners, people with residence permits, etc.) have the right to register their rental property as their residence. The tenant should submit the notice of residence within 30 days of moving in.
- To submit the notice of residence, the tenant has to provide proof that they have the right to use the property. Adequate evidence is a copy of the rental agreement or the owner's permission, written and signed in free form. The official state portal provides an overview of the rights and instructions on how to apply (information is available in Estonian, English and Russian).
- If the landlord and the owner are different people, there may be a problem confirming the registration. If, for example, the contract only contains the landlord's details, the owner can give his consent by proxy.
Remember that there is no reason for the landlord not to authorise the residence registration, as the tenant has a legitimate need and interest in correctly registering their long-term residence. Furthermore, several services and opportunities for the tenant depend on it (benefits, access to kindergarten and school or free public transport). Usually, employers also ask for residence information for the employment contract.
- Example: if a person has chosen a rental home in a particular area and the landlord prevents them from registering their residence, the tenant's children may not be able to go to the nearest school.
The tenant can highlight to the landlord that allowing registration will not adversely affect the owner in any way. The tenant does not acquire any property rights over the dwelling. If the tenant moves out and has not re-registered, the landlord can unilaterally cancel the registration.
If the landlord refuses to register the tenant's residence or unjustifiably obstructs the tenant's rights, the tenant has a valid reason to terminate the rental agreement.