If you are renting an apartment or house in Mallorca, you should know the local customs. This starts with the topic of searching and finding.
Idealista.com is a well-known rental portal that is now available in 15 languages. It not only offers properties to rent and buy, but also offers shared flats - similar to the popular German-language site wg-gesucht.de, which does not focus solely on Central European cities. If you speak Spanish, you have an advantage and can alternatively access regional portals such as enalquiler.com, where you have individual parameters at your disposal. This site offers long-term and short-term rental properties. The Spanish portals fotocasa.es and tucasa.com, vibbo.com or Milanuncios.com also contain offers. If you want to search passively, you can also place search ads. For example, in the island newspaper or in local Spanish media, preferably with a Spanish mobile phone number, of course. In a tight rental market at the beginning of the season, a lot also works by word of mouth, possibly via your boss and colleagues. Or you can simply commission a reputable estate agent and pay commission plus VAT. The situation is currently so difficult anyway that even unofficial tips are sometimes offered on a success basis, for example through friends of friends. There are also boarding houses for seasonal stays on Mallorca.
An ongoing topic of additional costs
What additional costs do I have to pay for a Spanish property? At least water and electricity are of course a must - but to whom are the payments directed? Often the contracts have been in the name of the landlord or even his parents for years. If they are not rewritten, the service charges must be paid in advance by the landlord. Tenants should always receive proof of this in the form of receipts. They can then use this to pay the rent and service charges.
What other options are there? Cash payment by the fourth or fifth of each month at the latest is usually welcome in Mallorca! As a rule, the landlord will then also issue receipts for receipt. An advantage in some old buildings is the fact that cold water may already be included in the rent if the property does not have separate meters. In some cases, this puts visually high rents for families into perspective. Individuals, on the other hand, are at a disadvantage as they use less and should actually pay less. In general, however, water bills in Spain are not as high as in Germany, and items for janitors, cleaning etc. are also quite moderate in most residential complexes.
Möbliert is more expensive
The choice between furnished and unfurnished apartments and houses is omnipresent on the market. However, furnished properties are not always to everyone's taste, as they are often filled with old family memories. However, many landlords are prepared to remove or dispose of some or all of the existing furniture on request. However, furnished rental properties are generally more expensive than unfurnished ones. Another disadvantage can be the kitchen furnishings, which are often used and poorly maintained. A kitchen equipped with the usual appliances may or may not be present. In some Spanish rental properties, the appliances are available, but the tenant must provide the fixtures such as a stove, refrigerator or oven. The tenant must also bring their own washing machine or dryer and take them with them when they move out. Deviating regulations can be contractually negotiated and recorded in writing.
Problems with the depositIn Spain, it is customary for tenants to pay the costs of wear and tear on the property. This means that the apartment or house is returned in the same condition as when the tenant moved out. The landlord is responsible for repairing any damage that occurs during the rental period and was not caused by the tenant. This includes, for example, burst pipes or damage to the electrical network. If the landlord does not fulfill this obligation, the tenant is not permitted to simply deduct the repair costs from the rent. This would be considered a breach of contract in Spain and only happens in the event of a dispute at the end of the contract or after a termination. This is also not advisable in this case. On the other hand, landlords often try to claim minor damages in order to offset them against the deposit when moving out. To prevent problems, it is advisable to draw up a detailed handover report when you move in.
Important supplies
When looking for a suitable rental property, prospective tenants should also consider the infrastructure, especially for homes in the countryside. It is important to check whether there is a connection to the public electricity grid and whether the water comes from a central supply or a cistern. In the latter case, it is important to ask whether the well is natural or replenishable and whether regular tanker orders are required. Each well has a pump, which in most cases is powered by electricity. However, some pumps are powered by a diesel generator, so it is advisable to obtain detailed information in advance.Satellite, cable & Co.
In Germany, it is usually child's play to receive and tune in to German programs via a satellite dish. But in Mallorca, things are more difficult with telephone and internet. Many people on the island do not have a telephone or internet connection. It can also happen that Movistar (Telefónica), the leading company, is unable to provide a suitable line. But there is help for remote regions: Providers rely on high-speed technology via radio, so that telephone and internet can reach your own four walls reliably via satellite or antenna. German-speaking estate agents sometimes offer a one-stop service and take care of many things for tenants in advance. A seasonal rental in the high-end segment can also be the precursor to a sale in some circumstances.
Michael U. Maier
