임차인 보증금 안심, 임대인 월세 보장…‘전월세 신탁’ 나온다

A new type of lease agreement called "monthly rent trust" is being introduced in South Korea, allowing tenants to deposit their lease deposits with the public sector instead of paying directly to landlords. The Korean Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced the "Monthly Rent Assurance Trust" (MRT) as a follow-up to the "Rapid Housing Supply Measures" on December 13th.

The MRT, overseen by the Housing and Urban Development Corporation (HUG), involves three parties—a housing corporation, landlord, and tenant—where the tenant deposits the lease deposit with HUG. HUG then invests these funds and pays the landlord monthly income equivalent to rent. This arrangement eliminates the need for landlords holding lease deposits and reduces the tenant's financial risk.

The MRT also provides benefits such as lower monthly living costs and reduced insurance premiums. It's targeted at properties with a market value under 20 billion won, with the aim of relocating high-income elderly residents from urban areas to suburban regions. The government plans to launch the program in September, with applications open starting October and official agreements being signed in November, with occupants moving in by the end of the year.