Renting in Barcelona

Casamona’s agency fee for rental properties is one month’s rent + IVA (18%).

You will also need to pay the security deposit to the owner; generally this is 2 month’s rent but depending on the owner and the property, it could actually be anywhere between 1-3 month’s rent. An Aval Bancario may also be required (explained in the section ‘What is an Aval Bancario?)

You would also need to pay the first month’s rent up front.

Once you have found your perfect property, there are a few simple steps to take before you can move in: firstly you would pay a security deposit to the owner of the property. Generally this is 2 month’s rent but depending on the owner and the property, it could actually be anywhere between 1-3 month’s rent. Some owners also ask for an ‘Aval Bancario’ which is explained below. The first month’s rent must also be paid before you move in.

There is then the agency fee paid to Casamona. This is one month’s rent + IVA (18%). Casamona will then arrange the contracts for you, and along with signing this, you will also need to provide a copy of the passports of all tenants, and a valid work document from your place of employment.

Once all paperwork is complete and all necessary payments made, you can then move in to your new home!

The most important law for both owners and rentals is that once the rental period exceeds 11 months, you as a tenant are entitled to remain in the property for up to 5 years, even if the original agreed period was less than this. You may, of course, leave before then as originally agreed, but have the right to appeal to stay for up to 5 years, with the rights in favour of the tenant, not the owner.

An ‘Aval Bancario’ is a bank guarantee which tends to be requested for rental periods greater than 11 months. It freezes a number of months’ worth of rent in your bank account as an added security for the owner. Not all owners request it, with some satisfied by a deposit and one or two month’s rent up front, but it is not an uncommon request. At Casamona we try to limit the Aval Bancario requested to 3-4 months’ rent rather than the 6-8 months requested by some owners.

To arrange an Aval Bancario, you would go to the bank and ask them to create an Aval account. You then fill in the necessary paperwork and the bank then freezes the amount in your account. It will not actually leave your bank, but you will be unable to access it for the period of the contract agreed. Once the contract comes to an end, the money is then released back to you provided you have adhered to the terms of the contract. This act as a security for the landlord that you'll leave the property when you say you will, and will not appeal to Spanish property law and stay on the property longer than what was agreed upon (See the section ‘Spanish Rental Law’ for more information).