Moving to Spain: Finding Accommodations

Renting

If you intend to rent a flat during your stay in Spain, you should look in the classified adverts for accommodation found in all newspapers.

You can also use estate agents, which charge an extra month's payment in advance and a commission for the agency itself, which will normally be the equivalent of one month's rent. Estate agents can be found in the yellow pages.

A lease must be drawn up with the owner. Any form of lease, including an oral one, is valid, legal and lawful, though the written form is recommended. An impreso de contrato oficial (standard form) on stamped paper can be bought from State tobacconists' for this purpose.

The tenant must provide a sum equivalent to one month's rent as a cash deposit. In almost all apartment blocks the communal costs and services are shared (caretaker, cleaning, gardening, swimming pool, etc.); you should check whether these costs are included in your lease.
Tourist Offices may be able to help while you are seeking accommodation by providing a list of temporary accommodation.

• www.spain.info

The Instituto de la Juventud (Institute for Young People) signs cooperation agreements with local councils to provide temporary rented accommodation for under 30s with low-income or who are away from their habitual residence either to work, study or participate in cultural and sporting events and activities, etc. 

This accommodation may be newly-built or renovated accommodation located in the old part of cities.

Purchasing Property

Many estate agents in the EEA currently deal in the purchase of Spanish properties. Local estate agents can be used in Spain. For information on the purchase of real estate in Spain, contact the Foundation Institute of Foreign Property Owners (Fundación Instituto de Propietarios Extranjeros).

If you want to keep up to date on market prices for new housing, the Property Valuation Society (Sociedad de Tasación) carries out a comprehensive market survey which analyses new private housing promotions built in all provincial capitals.

Some Autonomous Communities have a service called the Young People's Housing Market (Bolsa de Vivienda Joven), which provides general information on renting and purchasing property, specialist legal information, press information on rented and shared accommodation and, in particular, a stock of rented flats for young people at less than market prices by means of an agreement with the owners. Further information can be obtained from the youth services of the Autonomous Communities.

Text last edited on: 06/2006

Source: European Union
© European Communities
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