A lease agreement will typically be for one year with an option to renew at the end of the year. Although it is possible to have a lease for a shorter period of time signed, in some cases the rent will be made higher, usually anything up to 20% higher. The rental lease will usually be signed in Arabic and/or English.

Under Jordanian law the rental lease is unbreakable, therefore termination of the contract is not allowed before the year is up. Payment of the rent is customarily, in 90% of rentals, paid one year in advance. In so doing the best price is established and agreed upon. Some landlords may be inclined to agree to payments quarterly or every six months, in which case the landlord is likely to increase the price of the rent.

In case of lease termination the prepaid amount is non refundable, except if the renter has a diplomatic status and is asked to transfer to a different post and is no longer able to remain in the country. In most cases, because the rent is generally paid up front for the year, landlords do not request any kind of deposit. However, the landlord has every right to do so, if he/she chooses.

There are equal amounts of furnished and unfurnished accommodation to rent. Unfurnished accommodation will have only kitchen cabinets. Partially furnished accommodation will have kitchen cabinets as well as all basic kitchen appliances, such as a refrigerator, gas stove, washing machine and sometimes a dishwasher and a tumble drier. Partially furnished accommodation is not very common although it might be worth negotiating. Furnished properties will come fully fitted with furniture and kitchenware, no linen and towels however, will be included.

The standard and quality of the furniture will depend on the price of the rent. There are no furniture rental companies, so if you choose an unfurnished property you will need to be prepared to buy, unless you are shipping your own from home. There is a 2% tax of the annual rent enforced by the government, which is paid by all renters except those who are exempt from paying tax, for example employees of the Embassies.

As water shortages are a big problem in Jordan it is vital to make sure that the property has a sufficient number of water tanks.

It can take three days for a telephone to be installed; foreigners are required to pay a higher deposit to have a line installed in their name.

Air conditioning units are becoming increasingly popular in Jordan, with more and more properties being equipped with split units in addition to the few new buildings with central air conditioning.

No utilities are included in the price of the rent of properties. Service charges are also payable by the renter and usually range between $30 US and $50 US. This money covers the cost of communal lighting, sewerage and refuse collection.