If you are planning to move to Spain for a longer period and are looking to rent a property there are a number of things you will need to know before you go out and sign a long term rental contract.
Apart from the legal aspects which are covered in the next section there are some practical advice about renting a property in Spain that can save you both money and problems later on.
Starting out with renting a property even if you are thinking about buying a property in Spain is a good idea. This how you can get to know better the area and in different periods of the years as there is a big difference between living in some areas (especially tourist areas) in the winter and in the summer.
The first thing we recommend is that you newer sign a long term rental contract from abroad without having seen the property.
Although it might seem like the easiest way to have everything ready before you arrive to Spain you will most likely end up becoming disappointed. It is very easy to make a property look attractive on photos and if you have signed a contract then you will most likely loose your deposit if you decide not to stay in the property.
If you don’t have the possibility to do an inspection trip to Spain before you arrive then we can recommend starting out with renting a vacation property or booking a hotel for a week or two. This will give you enough time to visit different properties and also to get to know the area a little before choosing the final location (see also vacation rentals for further information or click here for a list of short term rental properties throughout Spain).
When looking for a long term rental contract you basically have two different options. Either to rent from a real estate agent specialised in rental properties or directly from the landlord.
A good estate agent can save you a lot of time by only showing you properties that are suited to what you are looking for but it will be more expensive compared to renting directly from the landlord. Estate agents normally charge the renter a fee equal to one month rent of the property for their services.
What you should also take into consideration when dealing with an agent is that they will only get paid if they rent out a property so their advice is not 100% impartial.
If you decide to look for a rental property directly from the landlord you can either use one of the many rental portals available online or you can take walk through the area where you are looking for a property and note down the phone numbers on the For Rent signs which is normal way to find rental properties for the Spanish people.
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