Cuenca Wants a Rental Registry — Here's What the New Ordinance Means for Tenants

What's Being Proposed

Councilwoman Jenny Bermeo announced that a draft ordinance creating a municipal rental registry is ready for its first debate in the Concejo Cantonal. The ordinance would require landlords to register rented properties with the city, documenting the property, the occupants, and the rental duration.

The registration fee: $6 USD.

Importantly, the ordinance does not regulate rental prices. This is a registration and transparency measure, not rent control.

Why Now

Bermeo was blunt about the problem the ordinance targets. Her quote, translated: "In some neighborhoods, people pay a year's rent in advance. Home owners don't ask where the money comes from, often from criminal groups or money laundering."

She named specific neighborhoods — Totoracocha, Ciudadela Álvarez — where properties have been used for irregular activities, including clandestine operations that authorities have already intervened in.

The councilwoman said the phenomenon expanded significantly since the pandemic, as informal and cash-heavy rental arrangements became more common across the city.

What Would Change for Renters

If the ordinance passes as drafted:

• Your landlord would need to register the rental with the municipality
• Your identity and rental duration would be on file with the city
• The $6 fee is within the existing municipal rate schedule — minimal cost
• The registry would be accessible to the National Police for investigative purposes

The ordinance is still awaiting its spot on the Concejo Cantonal's agenda for first debate. It hasn't passed yet — this is the starting line, not the finish.

What This Means for You

For most expats renting in Cuenca, this changes very little day-to-day. If you already have a formal rental contract (and you should), the registration is a small formality.

Where it could matter:

• If you rent informally — month-to-month handshake deals without contracts — this pushes toward formalization. That's probably good for you as a tenant.
• If you're a landlord renting to tenants, expect a new administrative step once the ordinance takes effect.
• The security angle is real. Bermeo's concerns about unvetted cash rentals are not theoretical — Cuenca has seen isolated incidents tied to exactly this pattern.

We'll update when the first council debate is scheduled.

Source: El Mercurio