Housing regulations in Spain

Looking to buy a home under the Spanish sun? Before you start looking at mortgages, you’ll need to know if your dream is even feasible.

Here’s what you need to know:

Holiday homes in Spain

Many housing laws in Spain relate to its busy holiday letting industry. This bustling sector sees more than 13 million visitors flock to the country each year.

The regions regulate holiday homes as follows:

• Andalucia – Properties need a First Occupation Licence, and booking sites no longer allow unregistered properties. Stricter rules apply to owners with three or more properties.
• Aragon – Maximum stays of one month. Owners and agents with properties in the same building must register and face stricter rules.
• Asturias – Properties in rural areas must be available in summer to be offered during other seasons.
• Balearic Islands – Homes in tourist zones must have licenses. Maximum three properties per owner. Liability insurance is required.
• Canary Islands – Owners must log guest details with police. Single-room occupancy is illegal. Residential communities must approve property letting.
• Cantabria – Owners need public liability insurance, no single-room occupancy.
• Castilla-La Mancha – No single-room occupancy, no long-term rentals. The plaque must be visible.
• Castilla y Leon – Owners must furnish the property. Single-room occupancy is illegal.
• Catalonia – Owners must have a copy of guest passports and log details with police. Landlords pay €145 for quality grading.
• Extremadura – Properties must be registered with the tourism agency.
• Galicia – Two types of registration: one for stays of three months and one for 30 days. Owners must log guest information.
• La Rioja – Owners must fully furnish the property. Tenancy agreements must last for at least three months a year. Prices are all-inclusive.
• Madrid – Tourist accommodation must be furnished and have a living-dining room or kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom. Properties must have a Wi-Fi connection and a 24-hour emergency telephone line. Registration plaque must be visible, complaint forms must be available, and a traveler record must be kept. Liability insurance is also mandatory.
• Murcia – Owners must store guest information.
• Navarre – Minimum space standards and classifications in force.
• Pais Vasco – Licence plaque must be visible. Short-term lets are limited to 15% of homes.
• Valencia – Holiday rentals cannot last for more than 10 days and renting individual rooms within a property is prohibited. Properties must have a 24-hour customer service phone line and have a separate entrance for guests. If the home is located on the fourth floor or higher, it must have an elevator. The use of lockboxes in public spaces for key handovers is strictly prohibited.

Renting laws

Some of the most important housing laws refer to the private rental sector in Spain. Landlords must adhere to certain regulations around protecting the rights of tenants.

Drawing up contracts

Whether you’re a tenant or a landlord, you should always have a written tenancy agreement. It should be clear as to whether it’s a long-term or short-term agreement; the latter provides the tenant with fewer rights.

For example, long-term tenants can stay in the property for a number of years on a rolling basis, while short-term tenants need to leave as soon as the initial contract ends.

Contract lengths

Long-term contracts last for at least a year. If you agree to a one-year contract, this renews each year on its expiry or even two years for tenants in economic vulnerability. Automatic contract renewals take place up to a minimum of five years, or seven years if the landlord is a legal entity.

Of course, the tenant and landlord can terminate the contract voluntarily. Renters must give two months prior notice, while the landlord must give four months’ notice.

Rent and rent increases

In areas designated as stressed, rent cannot be higher than the last recorded price in the last five years.

To avoid excessive rent increases, the government has set annual limits. From 2024 onward, landlords may only adjust the rent by up to 3% per year.

Protecting deposits

Tenancy deposits in Spain must sit in a third-party scheme. Owners must return the deposit within one month when the tenancy ends.

If the landlord needs to use some of the deposit to fix damage caused by the tenant, they can make a claim on this, and if needs be the third party can adjudicate on disputes.

Tenants in Spain don’t pay for normal wear-and-tear that occurs during their rental period.

Find out more about tenancy agreements in our full guide on renting in Spain.

Energy performance certificates

If you’re renting or selling a home in Spain, it’ll need to have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC).

The purpose of the EPC (Certificado de Eficiencia Energetica – CEE) is to ensure that homes are able to run efficiently and reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

EPCs receive a grade from A to G, with ‘A’ being extremely efficient and ‘G’ being very inefficient.

Landlords letting homes for longer than four months must have a valid EPC for the property, with fines given to those who don’t adhere.

EPCs in Spain cost around €155–450. If energy improvements are made, you’ll need to have the home reassessed and an EPC reissued.

Empty homes in Spain

There are more than three million vacant homes in Spain, and the government is looking to rectify this.

It hopes to bring in regulations that could potentially result in higher taxes or fines for homeowners who leave their properties empty as it attempts to free up more properties.

Buying property off-plan in Spain

There has been much controversy about buying homes in Spain off-plan (before they’ve been built). This is because, during the financial crash, many purchasers bought homes that ended up never being built because developers went bankrupt.

If you’re buying a home off-plan, you’ll need to ensure you have the following documentation:

• Proof that the construction has been completed in accordance with what you agreed (certificado final de obra). 
• Licence of first occupancy (licencia de primera occupacion), which will be issued by the town hall to confirm the property is habitable. You won’t be able to connect utilities such as water and electricity without this.

If a developer fails to complete the property by the agreed deadline, you can demand to:

• Cancel the contract and have your deposit returned (with interest)
• Extend the deadline

To cancel your purchase, you’ll need to appoint a lawyer.

Equity release in Spain

If you have a property in Spain and want to release some of its value as income or a lump sum, you could consider an equity release scheme – such as a reverse mortgage (hipoteca inversa) or lifetime loan.

Reverse mortgages are usually aimed at retired homeowners over 65 and involve homeowners borrowing money against the value of their property.

Before rushing into equity release, you’ll need to take legal advice and ensure the company is registered with the financial regulator (Comision Nacional de Mercado de Valores) and that they’re authorized to operate in Spain.

You should also take tax advice on any inheritance tax implications, and if you’re unsure, check with the Spanish Tax Office (Agencia Tributaria).