Commercial Rent Increases in Colombia (Cost of Leasing)

While housing and residential leasing in Colombia is a highly regulated field bound by unbreakable legal caps and maximums, the realm of commercial leasing belongs purely to the laws of the free market, economic conjunctures, and square meter valuation.

If you rent out corporate or retail commercial premises in Colombia, be fully prepared to master the guidelines of Article 519 of the Commercial Code.

Disclaimer: This guide provides general legal information for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Commercial laws can be complex to interpret in litigation. Always consult an attorney specializing in Colombian real estate and commercial law for advice specific to your situation. Information last verified: March 2026.

The Myth of the "CPI Increase" in Commercial Leases

The most unforgivable error for an owner of productive assets is assuming that the Consumer Price Index (CPI/IPC) rule—dictated by Law 820 strictly for apartments—interferes with or limits their commercial real estate business.

There is no government-imposed limit. The Colombian state explicitly removes caps in commercial law. The parties have total autonomy to foresee a different agreement or formula during the pre-contractual signing phase. (For example, typing the annual rise to the Legal Minimum Wage increase + 3 points, or a fixed guaranteed CPI + 5%).

However, if the renewal date arrives exactly at the two (2) consecutive years referenced in the pre-existing legislation, and the rent increase is not tied explicitly to a firm written percentage, the owner is completely free to renegotiate the rates with their local operator. This negotiation relies solely on the property's current valuation as an active asset, without any real ceiling dictated by a pre-established legal cap.

What Happens if There is No Agreement? The Appraisal Process

As previously explained, the Right to Renewal (Article 518) confers a binding shield to the merchant, effectively keeping their continued presence in the store after 2 years of successful, continuous productive work.

If the landlord demands a 30% increase at the mercy of accelerated neighborhood gentrification, and the tenant counters with a 5% offer due to a net recession in sales, what happens? Article 519 is categorical: Any differences that occur between the parties at the time of renewal of the lease contract shall be decided by a verbal procedure, with the intervention of experts (peritos).

• The initial contract does not terminate. By mandate, operations continue flowing provisionally and legally under the transitional rate.
• An expert appraiser (registered and commercially validated by the local Real Estate Board/Lonja Inmobiliaria or judges) is summoned. This expert studies the profitability of the physical location, transient street capacity, and size to stipulate "how much it is really worth" at the market's fair price.
• That generated number is then imposed as an award by court sentences. It becomes mandatory and retroactively compliant for both parties once ratified.

Strategic Contractual Forecasting of Collections

The absolute last thing both corporations want is to squander 8 to 12 months, losing their operational flow paying for cumbersome lawsuits, legal costs, and inspectors. The original pact signed must always be drafted contemplating the long haul with projected steps: "Increase Year 1, Year 2 and following by CPI + a 2% margin, and a mutually agreed direct appraisal for Year number 5". In this way, you perfectly prevent possible fissures when re-establishing the bond under perpetual renewal. This shields the economic certainty of your corporate budget without generating wear and tear from irrational disputes or prolonged vacancies.

Achieve clear algorithmic traceability and consistently communicate all missives and relative acts of corporate rent increases—tied to or detached from the CPI—using a single platform fully automated for Colombia's commercial rules: Landager.

Back to the Commercial Leases in Colombia Overview.