Renting A Property In Spain - Use This Guide To Help Land Your Dream Flat!
Renting in Spain can be quite a challenge, not only because the industry is not heavily regulated, like it is in the United States. In Spain realtors are not required to have a license in order to do business. Besides the lack of regulation, lately there seems to be a shortage of inventory in some cities.
On top of that, if you come to Spain as an expat, chances are you do not have a Spanish work contract, like myself. Therefore, that inventory reduces even more. I’m not trying to rain on your parade, but I want to make sure you’re prepared for the challenges ahead.
In this blog post I will share with you my experience renting an apartment in Spain, as well as my mistakes, so you can learn from it and avoid loosing any money. Hopefully this helps you find your dream flat in a short time!
Renting A Property In Spain - Everything You Need To Know
First things first! My advice is to start your research scouting the different neighborhoods in the city or town you are looking to rent. Get familiar with the neighborhoods, and take the time to walk the streets.
Simultaneously, go ahead and open a bank account. It is best if you already have a NIE number (a tax identification number that is required for all non-residents who work or live in Spain), but in the case you don’t you can open the account with just your passport.
**Note: For more information about which bank is best for expats, I suggest reading this blog post.**
To me, my ideal neighborhood is one that:
- Feels safe / low crime
- Has playgrounds, pedestrian only plazas, and green spaces within a walking distance
- Has cafes, bakeries, ‘tascas’ and restaurants
- Has supermarkets, pharmacies, and schools within a walking distance
Once you have defined your “TOP” neighborhoods, it’s time to define the property that best fits your family and your lifestyle. Define the following:
- Your monthly rent budget,
- Cost of living in your desired neighborhoods,
- Furnished or unfurnished property,
- Equipped with appliances or prefer selecting your own,
- Number of bedrooms,
- Number of bathrooms,
- Type of property: ‘ático’ (with rooftop terrace), duplex, house, ‘adosados’ (townhome)


1) Legitimate Real Estate Websites – Find A LEGIT Property For Rent In Spain
Once you have already defined your neighborhoods of choice, start your search for a property to rent with Idealista or Fotocasa, using the property filters you defined to get an idea of what’s available for rent.
Note: Don’t be alarmed if you see the same properties listed by different real estate agencies. The way it works with real estate agents in Spain, is that there is no exclusivity between landlords and realtors.
Realtors from different agencies will compete with each other to get the commission fee, so whoever closes the deal first is the one that gets paid.
2) Real Estate Agents – Wondering How To Rent? Get An Agent!
The same way there is no exclusivity between realtors and landlords, the same goes with realtors and tenants. So working with multiple realtors will increase your chances of finding an apartment to rent in Spain.

Can A foreigner Rent A House In Spain??
Yes! Absolutely a foreigner can rent apartments and houses in Spain. Just like in your home country, there are rules and regulations to every property long-term or short-term. Now, there are many more hoops per say for foreigners to jump through!

3) Scams – When Moving To Spain, Please Take Caution!
Beware of scams! It is a thing in Spain, and it happens a lot on Facebook groups/ Marketplace. A couple of red flags to watch for when looking for properties to rent:
- The listing is too good to be true. Rent is significantly lower than other similar properties in the area, it’s likely a scam.
- The listing is vague or incomplete. A legitimate owner will be able to provide you with detailed information about the property, including photos, floor plans, and a list of amenities.
- The landlord is unavailable to meet in person. A legitimate landlord will be happy to meet you in person to show you the property and answer your questions. If the owner is always unavailable or only wants to communicate via email or text, chances are it’s a scam.
- The landlord asks you to pay a ‘reserva’ (holding fee) before you see the property. This is a major red flag! A legitimate landlord will never ask you to a fee before you’ve seen the property in person and signed a lease.
Never send money to anyone before seeing the property in person!!!
4) Reserva (Holding Fee) – All Rental Properties Have Some Sort Of Fee
This fee is equal to one month’s rent plus IVA. You’ll be asked by the realtor to pay a holding fee for the time in between you submit your offer to rent and the time the rental contract is signed. My biggest piece of advice is do not pay this fee until it’s time to sign the contract.
I know from experience that looking for rentals in Spain can become stressful, especially when you need a rental contract to be able to register in the ‘Ayuntamiento’ to get your ‘Padrón’ certificate.
Realtors will pressure you about “multiple people coming to see the property” to make you feel like if you don’t pay the reservation fee you may loose the opportunity. Clock is ticking, and you want to do everything in your power to find a home for your family.


A lot of things can happen during the days prior to signing the rental agreement, and you may find another place that you like better.
It happened to me in August 2022!!! I lost $2,000!!!
When we were looking for a place to rent, we visited this flat and we liked it. We were 90% convinced we found the right apartment. Signing the contract was not possible right away, as we were told by the realtor that the owner was traveling.
So right before going on a beach holiday for a couple of days, I wanted to secure this apartment, so I paid the fee before signing the contract.
Huge mistake!
During our beach holiday, we made a great connection with the Airbnb host, which happened to have a cousin in Valencia, the city we were planning on renting a property, remodeling his flat to list it.
When he described the location of the flat, my husband and I decided to go check this one out before signing the other contract.
We visited the flat, and we fell in love with the views. Knowing we were loosing the money paid as “reserva”, we chose this knew found flat.
**Note: In 2023, new laws are coming into effect that will require realtor commission fees to be paid by the landlord for all long-term rental contracts.


5) Fianza (Security Deposit) – Necessary All Throughout Spain
You will have to pay a deposit that is the equivalent of one month’s rent (or sometimes two). This deposit protects the owner against any non-payment or any damages to the property.
After talking to a few local friends in Spain, we learned that 90% of the time landlords won’t reimburse the security deposit at the end of the rental term.
In this case, they will offer you to live for one or two extra months (depending on how much you paid for security deposit) in the property without paying the monthly rent.
Can I live In Spain As An American??
Yes! You can live in Spain as an American. You first need to obtain your visa that is right for you and from there, you can start the hunt on places to rent in Spain! Whether it is Barcelona, Madrid, Valencia, etc. You can legally find a house or apartment in Spain.
6) Rental Default Insurances – May Pay A Month’s Rent + More
Given this insurance protects landlord against payment default, among other other claims, it requires tenants to have a work contract in Spain.
The way this insurance works is that in the case tenant stops paying rent, the insurance company can garnish wages.
Therefore, for the insurance to cover the owner of the property one of the requirement for renting the property to you is that you have a work contract in Spain.
If you do not have a Spanish work contract, chances are that the owner may require a higher security deposit (about 6 months of rent as a deposit) or even prepay for a full year. So be ready financially for any of these scenarios!


7) Contract Terms To Look For Included In The Rental Agreement
- Rental period: In the case you want to rent long-term, you want to have the contract specify the rental period is ‘prorrogable a cinco años’, which means it can be renewed every year for up to five years.
- Form of payment: Most landlords will want you to make payments in cash. It is a common practice for collecting payments in cash to avoid paying Hacienda their chunk of taxes. Avoid agreeing to pay the rent in the form of cash. It is better to send rent payment by transfer from your bank account to owner’s bank account. This way you protect yourself in the case the property owner decides to to file a complaint for non-payment against you, you can show proof of payment.
- Rent price adjustment: It should be stipulated on the contract that the rent will be adjusted on a yearly basis based on the ‘Índice de Precios al Consumo’ (IPC). This will protect you from your landlord increasing your rent substantially every year. **Note: All current rental contracts that are revised until December 31, 2023, will be updated in accordance with the limit imposed by the Government, with a maximum of 2%.
Managing Your Landlord-Tenant Relationship - Know Your Rights
Well, it doesn’t end with moving in your new home in Spain! There’s a new relationship you are entering in when signing a rental contract: the relationship with your landlord.
I hope this is an amicable relationship, but beware of greedy landlords! Some may want to avoid paying for years worth of deterioration of the property, and will try to have you pay for these repairs while you live the property or at the time to return the property. Make sure you know your rights as a tenant.
Feel free to copy and paste the text below if you ever need it:
- Artículo 21.1 de la Ley 29/1994, de 24 de Noviembre, de Arrendamientos Urbanos: “El arrendador está obligado a realizar, sin derecho a elevar por ello la renta, todas las reparaciones que sean necesarias para conservar la vivienda en las condiciones de habitabilidad para servir al uso convenido, salvo cuando el deterioro de cuya reparación se trate sea imputable al arrendatario a tenor de lo dispuesto en los artículos 1563 y 1564 de Código Civil” y el apartado 3 del citado precepto previene que “En todo momento, y previa comunicación al arrendador, el arrendatario podrá realizar las reparaciones que sean urgentes para evitar un daño inminente o una incomodidad grave, y exigir de inmediato su importe al arrendador”.
**The text above explains the obligations of the owner, which is to make all necessary repairs to the property, without increasing the rent, to guarantee the property is in living conditions, except when the damage is caused by the tenant. In case of urgency, and to avoid a major damage or inconvenience, after notifying the owner, tenant can make repairs, and request immediate payment from the property owner.
What Documents Do You Need To Rent In Spain?
- Proof of income or bank statement showing funds
- Passport
- NIE number
- Pay for the security deposit at signing
- Pay for the first month’s rent at signing
- Rental agency’s commission* (in the case you are renting through an agency
*At the time of writing this blog in 2023
P.S. Here at Simplify Abroad we have got different articles and videos done by a family of 6 (and three dogs), a family of 3 (and one dog) and a recent retiree. If you want to see more articles from us click here.
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