Fiador / Aval (Guarantor / Co-signer)fee-ah-DOR / ah-VAHL
A fiador or aval is a guarantor who commits to pay a tenant's rent and other lease obligations if the tenant defaults, defined in Federal Civil Code Article 2794 as a person who agrees with the creditor to pay for the debtor if the debtor does not.
By Daniel Ortega · Last reviewed 11 November 2026
How it works
<p>In Mexico rental practice, landlords typically require a fiador who owns debt-free real estate in the same state where the tenant is renting. <cite index="7-1,10-10">The fiador must own property without a mortgage</cite>, and <cite index="1-14">the landlord can place a legal lien on the fiador's property</cite> to recover unpaid rent or damages. <cite index="4-12">The fiador must be resident in Mexico and own property in the same city</cite>. For foreign tenants and newcomers without local property-owning contacts, <cite index="7-8">a póliza jurídica (legal guarantee policy) typically costs between 30 and 50 percent of one month's rent</cite> and fully replaces the fiador requirement. <cite index="8-6">Security deposits for foreign tenants typically range from one to two months of rent, with higher deposits often requested where no fiador is provided</cite>. The fiador provides the landlord with property documents including the escritura (deed), predial receipts, and property registry certification showing the property is lien-free.</p>