Long Term Rentals in Belize

“How do I find long term rentals in Belize?” is one of the most frequently asked questions in many of the Belize-related forums online.

This is a good question. Just like the fact that there is no central MLS system in Belize for real estate, as discussed in our Basics of Real Estate in Belize article, there is also no central clearinghouse for long term rentals in the country.

And there is often confusion, and argument, about whether or not a foreign national, who is in Belize on a Visitor’s Visa, may rent a property long term if it is not licensed by the Belize Tourism Board (BTB).

In this article, we take at look both the regulations surrounding long term rentals in Belize, as well as some resources for finding a rental here.

Do I need to stay in a BTB licensed property for a long term rental in Belize?

As we describe in our article on Owning a Vacation Rental in Belize, according to BTB regulations, in order to rent accommodation, regardless of the length of stay, to anyone who is on a Tourist Visa, a landlord must have a BTB Hotel License.

Whether a tenant has been in Belize for many years, or is intending to stay long term and apply for residency, BTB states that if they are required to go to Immigration and renew their Visitor’s Permit, they are legally required to stay in a licensed property.

There has been much chatter in all of the Belize forums about this over the past couple of years because while there has always been a requirement for those on Tourist Visas to stay in a licensed property, even for long-term rentals, until the post-Covid period, this rule was rarely enforced; however, BTB has started enforcing this rule in some parts of Belize since the country reopened from Covid.

The recent enforcement of the requirement that foreign nationals who are on Tourist Visas must stay in licensed properties has proven to be unpopular with both landlords and potential tenants.

For landlords, the BTB licensure process can be costly and take a significant amount of time to complete, and for tenants, because the landlord is now required to collect a 9% Accommodation Tax on even long-term rentals, the price of long-term rentals has increased.

In many of the online Belize forums, some folks argue that the Belize Tourism Board is a private entity, so it is limited in the rules it can produce and in the enforcement of regulations.

This view of the BTB is only true in part. Yes, they are a quasi-private organization; however, the BTB was created by an act of legislation of the government of Belize, and it was granted certain powers:

The Belize Tourism Board (BTB) is the legislated body designed to govern, enhance and promote the Belize tourism product. The BTB undertakes numerous strategic initiatives as well as the implementation of tourism policies to address the changing needs of the tourism industry. The organization’s goal is to ensure the socioeconomic growth of Belize through prudent, transparent and effective governance.

Belize Tourism Board Website

For foreign nationals, and Belizeans, owning a rental property in Belize, the BTB is very important because they require that in order to legally offer a rental to any person who is on Tourist Visa in Belize, the landlord must have a Hotel License, approved by the BTB.

I have read many online arguments in which folks argue that BTB can not do Immigration enforcement and tell people where they can live, but this misses the point that BTB is not enforcing Immigration regulations on those who are on the Visitor’s Visa, rather, they are regulating landlords, which, according to my reading of their statutory responsibilities, they are permitted to do.

In April, 2022, BTB published the following notice concerning Vacation Rentals (Short-term) Vs. Residential Rentals (Long-term), and I have been unable to find any subsequent postings on the matter:

Public Notice: Vacation Rentals (Short-term) Vs. Residential Rentals (Long-term)

The Registrar of Hotels hereby provides the following public notices:

Guests/Visitors who arrive in Belize on Tourist Visas and pay for Accommodation/Boarding must stay at an Accommodation Provider that is registered with BTB. Guests/Visitors who arrive in Belize on Tourist Visas and obtain monthly extensions to the initial Visa must also stay at an Accommodation Provider that is registered with BTB, notwithstanding the length of stay. Be it six weeks, six months, two years, etc. This does not include individuals that are staying with family and relatives.

Guests/Visitors who arrive in Belize on Tourist Visas are prohibited from engaging in Residential Rentals, as they do not possess the required immigration status, such as Permanent Residency, QRP Membership, Work Permit, Student Visa Holder, etc. Kindly note that as long as the Accommodation Provider is registered with BTB, proprietors are mandated by Law to remit the 9% Tax to BTB for use/rental of a registered property’s rooms/units. This is notwithstanding the guest’s length of stay or immigration status.

Those found to be contravening this, shall be liable to summary conviction and/or penalties under the Hotels and Tourist Accommodation Act, Chapter 285 of the Laws of Belize.

BTB Website, News Section

BTB can simply enforce this regulation on the landlord, which can result in a fine of $10K BZD, and an immediate Cease and Desist Order.

While in practice, there are currently many long term rentals in Belize which are not licensed, two years ago, prior to my move from San Pedro to Corozal, I had personal knowledge of two properties which were fined and forced to stop operations in San Pedro by the BTB.

What is the real situation for long term rentals in Belize?

Despite everything I’ve written in the section above about landlords being required to have a BTB license in order to offer rentals to those on Tourist Visas, in practice, I would guess that there are likely as many, if not more folks, in long-term rentals which are not licensed than there are in licensed properties.

There are several reasons for this, and what is likely a major reason is that for many years, BTB did not enforce the regulation, so landlords who have been renting long term in Belize to those on Visitor’s Visas have no desire to spend a year with no income while they go through the BTB licensure process.

Landlords may also feel that there is little chance of enforcement, and perhaps they feel a little entitlement because they have been free to rent to anyone for so many years.

I know that Immigration Offices have tightened up Visa Extension procedures recently in many parts of the country, as they are now often asking folks who are renewing their Visas both for proof of the ability to financially support themselves (usually by submitting bank statements), and for either a utility bill in their own name at the address in Belize, or a lease, or proof of property ownership to demonstrate where they are staying in Belize.

It may be some time before there is regular, full enforcement of the BTB regulation on long-term rentals, but I certainly feel that changes are occurring, and it is likely to become more common over time.

If BTB were to fully enforce the regulation, there could be real problems with availability of long-term rentals in many parts of the country, as there may not be enough inventory of licensed properties to meet demand, and in the popular tourism destinations such as San Pedro, Caye Caulker, Hopkins, and Placencia, many landlords would rather focus on short-term vacation rentals, as they are able to charge much higher prices.

How do I find long term rentals in Belize?

1. Facebook Marketplace

As I have mentioned in a number of Belize FAQs articles, both private businesses and the government of Belize primarily rely on Facebook to communicate with the public. While some businesses seem to be starting to develop more user-friendly websites, many businesses still count on Facebook as their primary source of advertising and communication.

The housing rental market is no exception to the Belize Facebook rule. From what I have been able to find, many, if not most, long term rentals in Belize are listed on Facebook Marketplace or in specific Facebook Groups.

If I were to start a new search for a long-term rental here today, I would first go to FB Marketplace and set the location to the town in Belize in which I am looking for a rental. Then, I would do a simple search for house or apartment rentals.

While writing this article, I tried this for several towns in Belize, and I was able to find some available long-term rentals in each of the areas for which I searched. The FB Marketplace search results change regularly, so it is a good idea to keep an eye on the Marketplace in order to get an idea of availability and price range in the areas in which you are interested.

2. Facebook Groups

Facebook Groups are another good source which can be used to find long term rentals in Belize. There are two types of groups to explore, both the large, national FB groups, and the local groups which focus on a specific area.

For either the local Facebook Groups or the national groups, I would look around to find the larger groups which have daily postings. Local groups which have local folks posting every day about events, local news, and anything related to the area are likely to be the most helpful.

Join a few local groups and follow them for a few weeks to see if any rentals come up, and if not, it is a good idea to post an inquiry in the groups telling folks that you are looking for a long-term rental. Provide as much information as you can about what you are looking for: location; type of rental, house, condo, apartment; number of bedrooms; whether or not you need AC; your anticipated move-in date, and the lease term you are looking for, etc. The more information you provide, the better results you will receive in return.

Personally, I would not post a budget. I would allow folks to post what they have available in the comments to my post directly in the group, or send it to me as a private message, along with the price at which it is offered.

Do you recommend any specific local Facebook Groups for long term rentals in Belize?

Because I have lived in both San Pedro and Corozal, if you are looking in these areas, I recommend that you join:

• Ambergris Caye Community for AC and San Pedro Town
• Ambergris House/Apartment for Rent
• Corozal Living for the Corozal Town area and surrounding villages

These are simply examples of groups with which I have direct experience. These groups are all active with lots of local members posting on a regular basis. For whichever area in Belize you are looking to find a rental, take the time to do a thorough search for the largest, most active groups in an area, join them, watch them for a while and then submit your inquiry.

Do you recommend any specific national Facebook Groups for long term rentals in Belize?

One can also post an inquiry in one of the national Facebook Groups when looking for a long-term rental. Remember to include all of the details described above in the section on local groups, as well as the part of the country in which you are looking for a rental.

These are the national Facebook Groups that I follow, and most of them have helpful folks who are willing to help newcomers:

• Living in Belize (We don’t call ourselves expats)
• Belize Expats
• Belize Information Group

Of course, there are many other national Facebook Groups related to Belize, but these are some that I have found to be most helpful though the years, and they are not overrun with realtors trying to sell land or homes.

There are also a fairly high number of Facebook Pages and Groups which claim to be sites for rentals, both in specific localities, and national sites, but unfortunately, most of these seem to have been overwhelmed with realtors advertising properties for sale with very few actual rentals listed.

Airbnb can also be a source to find long term rentals in Belize

Just like Facebook having a near monopoly on business and government communications in Belize, Airbnb has a majority of the BTB licensed vacation rental market in the country.

While one thinks of Airbnb as a short-term, vacation rental service, because the platform has such of large inventory of properties in Belize, it can also be a good resource when looking for long term rentals in Belize.

One can simply search Airbnb for properties in the area in which one wants to find a rental, and then use the platform to directly contact the owner to see if she would be willing to entertain a long-term rental contract.

If you do use Airbnb for a long-term rental search, you need to clarify the precise terms of any agreement. For example, make sure to ask the owner to give you a quote inclusive of the 9% BTB Accommodation Tax (most Airbnb listings will be licensed properties), and confirm which utilities will be included in the rental price quoted, water, electricity, internet, etc.

If you make long-term rental inquires of Airbnb owners to start in the high season, which is basically Christmas to Easter, many owners may not want to start a lease at that time, as it is the period with the highest occupancy rates, for which they can charge high nightly or weekly rates.

However, if you inquire whether an owner would entertain starting a six month or one-year lease in May or June, they may be more inclined to consider it if they are looking at several empty months on their short-term calendar.

While the Airbnb rentals are likely to be somewhat more expensive than renting from someone found on a Facebook Ad or in a FB Group, with Airbnb, you will have a little more protection, as if there are real problems with the rental, Airbnb can mitigate the situation with an owner, and even help with cancellations and refunds in certain cirumstances.

One other benefit of an Airbnb rental is that hosts are provided a $2 million USD liability insurance policy by the company, so if you somehow are injured on the property, you will know that there is coverage in place.

Final thoughts on long term rentals in Belize

If you have read many of my Belize FAQs articles, I often pass on the suggestion that I have heard from so many long-timers here: Folks should come down to Belize and rent a place for at least six months to a year before even thinking about buying a home or property here.

And finding long term term rentals in Belize is a really important facet of this advice. To complicate matters, there seems to be a stream of younger folks, many with children, now interested in moving to Belize, causing more demand for rentals here, so this situation has likely become more difficult to navigate over the past year or two.

The requirement for BTB licensure, and the fact that it may be more readily enforced as time goes by, may cause a real shortage of long term rentals in Belize.

While I understand that the Tourism Board wants to protect the Belize brand by making sure that vacation rentals are safe and equipped with the things which most international tourists expect, on the other hand, I wish that there could be a new license classification for long-term rentals, perhaps requiring that a property be inspected by the Central Building Authority and Department of the Environment to make sure that it is safe, but waiving many of the specific BTB requirements for vacation rentals.

My list of suggested Facebook Groups above, along with my other recommendations for ways to find along term rentals in Belize, are not meant to be exhaustive, they are simply examples of the types of searches one needs to do to find a long-term rental here.

Many folks have written me asking me for advice on this issue, so I decided to put together this article in hopes that it would be helpful for those looking into moving to Belize.

If I were planning my move to Belize today, after perhaps having visited a few times, I would likely put together a longer-term scouting mission of a month or so, staying in one or more Airbnb’s while looking at potential long-term rentals.

Personally, I do not think that I would sign a long-term lease on a property site unseen. Rather, I would make the trip down, go and check out my options in person, and then return home to gather the things which I want to bring with me.

If you are just starting your search for a place in Belize, good luck! Also, many people who are looking at real estate or rentals in Belize are also interested in being granted Permanent Residency in Belize, so check out our article on Residency, as it is never too early to be aware of what is required after you make the big move.

Finally, if you are considering a move to Belize, you might want to check out our book: Belize FAQs: A detailed guide for those interested in moving to Belize. In the book, there are more than 150 pages of Belize FAQs at your fingertips. And Belize FAQs is available in both paperback and Kindle formats.