Short-term rental contracts in Morocco: template, mandatory clauses and e-signature
Every Moroccan host who rents a furnished property for short stays should formalize the relationship with a written contract. Here are the mandatory clauses, the legal framework, and how to generate a compliant signed contract in less than two minutes per booking.
The problem: Word contracts that won't hold up in court
Most hosts use a Word template found online, tweak it for each guest, send it over WhatsApp and wait for a scanned signature. When a dispute arises (security deposit, damage, early checkout), this contract is often unenforceable: the signature can't be verified, dates are inconsistent, key clauses are missing — or worse, there is no proof the contract was ever sent.
- Word templates copied between guests with errors on dates or amounts.
- Signatures captured as WhatsApp photos, with no evidentiary value.
- No reliable trace of the version actually signed by each party.
- Essential clauses missing: deposit, inventory, house rules, jurisdiction.
- No bilingual version, even though international guests rarely read French.
The Scale X solution: compliant, signed, archived — automatically
Scale X generates a personalized short-term rental contract for every booking, from validated templates. The guest receives a secure link, signs electronically from their phone, and the timestamped PDF is stored encrypted in your dashboard. Zero manual work, zero risk of inconsistency.
Legal framework: what a short-term rental contract must contain in Morocco
The Moroccan Code of Obligations and Contracts (DOC), articles 627 and following, governs the lease contract, of which the furnished short-term rental is a variant. While the law does not impose a specific template, it requires the contract to clearly state: the object (precise description of the property), the duration, the price, payment terms, and the identity of the parties.
In practice, several clauses are now considered essential: the amount and refund conditions of the security deposit (typically 1 to 2 nights), the guest's liability for damage, house rules (noise, parties, maximum occupancy), cancellation conditions, and jurisdiction (Casablanca courts by default for Scale X).
Law 53-05 of 30 November 2007 on the electronic exchange of legal data recognizes electronic signatures as equivalent to handwritten ones, provided the process identifies the signer and ensures document integrity. The Scale X contract meets both requirements through the link being sent to a verified number, timestamping, and cryptographic sealing of the PDF.
How Scale X generates a contract in 4 steps
- 1Import your templatesUse the default Scale X template or upload your own Word version. Dynamic fields detected automatically.
- 2One booking = one pre-filled contractAs soon as a booking is created (manually or via Airbnb iCal), a contract is generated with all guest data.
- 3Guest signs from their phoneSecure link, mobile-friendly page, touch signature, optional SMS OTP validation.
- 4Timestamped PDF archivedYou receive the signed contract by email, accessible anytime from your dashboard with a public verification link.
Scale X contract vs Word vs DocuSign
| Fonctionnalité | Scale X | Gestion manuelle | Outils génériques |
|---|---|---|---|
| Template compliant with Moroccan law | Needs review | Generic | |
| Bilingual FR/AR version | Translate yourself | ||
| Automatic pre-fill | Field by field | ||
| Law 53-05 signature | eIDAS standard | ||
| 10-year archiving included | Manual | Paid add-on | |
| Public verification page | On request | ||
| Cost per contract | Included | Free | ~ 30 MAD/document |
Frequently asked questions
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