Property rental in Batumi: for tenants and owners

In summer and in winter, property rental in Batumi looks like two different markets. Most tourists come between July and September, and in those months owners of apartments by the sea more often choose short-term rental. In winter there are few short-term guests, and the same apartments are rented out by the month. For a tenant, the conclusion is simple: a winter contract by the sea is usually easier to find than a summer one, and a one-year contract is worth looking for where the apartment is not aimed at tourists.

Types of property rental in Batumi and which one you need

Long-term rental suits people who live in Batumi all year round, including those who have moved here to work. It means a contract for many months: a furnished apartment, a security deposit, an inventory of the contents and utility bills by the meter. For the owner, this format brings steady income and less work than a stream of guests.

Short-term rentals are booked through platforms for a few nights or weeks. The nightly rate changes with the season and the day of the week, and the cancellation and deposit terms are set by the platform's rules and the listing. Renting for a season or for the winter sits in between: several months at a monthly rate, but with a move-out date that the owner sets around their own season.

What to check before you pay a deposit

First make sure that the person renting out the apartment is the owner or someone holding the owner's power of attorney. This shows in the Public Registry extract and the representative's documents, and it is perfectly normal to ask for them before paying. Then comes the apartment itself: whether the air conditioners and the water heater work, whether there is damp in the wardrobes and corners, how the windows close and how the apartment is heated in winter.

Read the whole rental agreement, even if it is only one page long. It should state:

• The term, the amount, the currency and the payment day
• The amount of the deposit and the conditions for returning it
• Who pays for electricity, gas, water, internet and the building's service charge
• Who repairs appliances and plumbing if they break through no fault of the tenant
• How to give notice if you leave early and what happens to the deposit then
• An inventory of furniture and appliances with photos, and the meter readings on the day you move in

Renting for the winter and when you relocate

Winter in Batumi is damp: average humidity stays at around 70–80% all year and rises higher in the cold months. An apartment that seemed excellent in summer can turn out cold and damp in December. Before signing, ask how it is heated, how much the bills came to last winter and whether there is a dehumidifier or an air conditioner with a dry mode. Dark patches by the windows and behind the furniture are better found at the viewing than in January.

For anyone relocating to Batumi for the long term, everyday life matters more than the view: internet, a place to work, quiet, shops and transport nearby, a school or nursery for the children. A building with many short-term rentals is noisy in summer, and that is worth finding out in advance. A one-year contract gives you predictability, but read its early-exit terms especially carefully, because plans do change after a move.

Villas and commercial premises

Villas and houses to rent are found in Makhinjauri, Gonio and Kvariati, further along the coast up to Chakvi, and in the city itself. A house rental agreement has extra clauses: looking after the garden and the pool, if there is one, rubbish collection, the access road in winter and heating a large space. Find out before you move in who pays for what, because a large house by the sea is expensive in winter.

Commercial premises are rented for a particular business, and the checks start with that business. A cafe needs an extraction system and a strong electrical supply, a shop needs a shop window and passing foot traffic, an office needs parking and quiet. We check the permitted use in the documents, who fits out the premises for the tenant and at whose expense, the length of the lease and the terms for extending it. We can also do the fit-out for your type of business ourselves.

If you are the owner

As an owner, you first need to choose the format: a long-term tenant, short-term guests or a mix of the two by season. This decides the renovation and the furniture, how much of your time or your property manager's time the apartment will take up, and what tax you will pay.

Rental income from housing let for residential use is taxed at 5% of the whole amount or at 20% of the income after expenses (under the rules for 2026). According to tax consultants, to use the 5% rate you have to register as a landlord with the Revenue Service in advance. Interpretations differ on how short-term rentals are taxed, so we choose the tax regime for them together with a tax adviser.

Before the apartment is rented out, we make an inventory with photos, read the meters and set out the deposit and the repair procedure in the contract. If you don't have time to run the rental yourself, you can hand the apartment over to us to manage.