The rental glossary — in plain language
The other side of the table speaks a jargon that confuses a first-time renter. Here's every term you'll meet in an ad and a contract, explained simply — and on your side.
24 terms
- ארנונהArnona (municipal tax)
- Municipal tax paid by the tenant, billed bi-monthly, by m² and zone. Not part of the rent — a monthly extra to budget.
- ועד ביתVa'ad bayit (building fee)
- A fee for shared-space upkeep (cleaning, elevator, garden). Varies widely between buildings — ask the amount before signing.
- פיקדוןDeposit
- A sum the landlord holds as security and returns at the end of the lease, minus proven damage. The law caps how much you can be made to pay in guarantees.
- ערב / ערבותGuarantor / guarantee
- A person who signs and is liable if the tenant doesn't pay. One guarantor is the norm; liability unlimited in time and amount is an unusual demand.
- ערבות בנקאיתBank guarantee
- A guarantee the bank issues to the landlord — usually freezing credit or charging a fee. It costs you money, so it counts toward the securities cap.
- שטר חובPromissory note
- A signed debt undertaking, sometimes with guarantors, enforceable on breach. Check the amount and who it binds before signing.
- שיק ביטחוןSecurity check
- A postdated check given to the landlord, cashed only on breach. Usually doesn't 'cost money' — but don't sign an open amount.
- מדדMadad (CPI index)
- The Consumer Price Index published by the Central Bureau of Statistics. Many leases link the rent to it.
- הצמדה למדדIndex linkage
- A clause that raises the rent by the index's rise. Make sure there's a clear base index and formula, and no retroactive linkage.
- בלאי סבירReasonable wear and tear
- The natural wear an apartment gets from ordinary use. It's not damage, and it can't be deducted from your deposit — a deduction needs proven damage, not just use.
- דמי מפתחKey money
- A term from the old protected-tenancy world. It has no place in an ordinary rental — a key-money demand is a red flag.
- מתווך / דמי תיווךAgent / agent fee
- A real-estate agent; the fee is usually one month's rent + VAT. Check whether you're dealing with an agent or an owner, and whether the fee applies to you.
- ממ״ד / מרחב מוגןSafe room
- An in-apartment protected space used as a shelter. Critical in Tel Aviv and surroundings — if there isn't one, find out where the nearest shelter is.
- תמ״א 38TAMA 38
- A plan to seismically reinforce buildings, sometimes adding an elevator and a safe room. Mid-process — expect months of noise and dust.
- פינוי-בינויEvacuation-reconstruction
- Tearing down an old building and rebuilding in its place. Worth checking whether the building is in this process — if it is, you could be asked to move out before the lease ends.
- טאבו / נסח טאבוTabu (land registry) / extract
- The official land registry; a Tabu extract shows the registered owner. Useful for checking that whoever's renting it out actually owns it.
- גוש / חלקהBlock / parcel
- The numbers that pin down a land parcel in the registry. They're the key to looking the property up in Tabu and Nadlan, even without an exact address.
- חוק שכירות הוגנתFair Rental Law
- The 2017 amendment to the rental law. It caps the guarantees you can be asked for and makes the landlord fix material defects — a law that works in your favour.
- אופציהOption (to extend)
- A right to extend the lease for a further period on pre-set terms. Check whether the rent increase on the option is capped in the lease.
- סעיף יציאהBreak / exit clause
- A clause that lets either side end the lease early, with advance notice. A fair one cuts both ways — the same notice period for you and for the landlord.
- שוכר מחליףReplacement tenant
- A substitute tenant who takes your place when you leave early. Offering a suitable one is the common way to exit without a penalty.
- זכרון דבריםMemorandum (preliminary)
- A preliminary document that can be legally binding. Don't sign it as if it's a draft — treat it like a contract.
- מסירהHandover
- Handing over the keys and the flat's condition, on entry and exit. Document the condition at each handover — that's what protects the deposit.
- מושכר / משכיר / שוכרLeased property / landlord / tenant
- In contract language: the leased property is the flat, the landlord is the owner, the tenant is you. They're easy to mix up — worth checking which is which in every clause before you sign.
This is not legal advice. DirBalak presents information about renters' rights from the statute — the decision and wording are yours.