If you are renting an apartment or house in Mallorca, you should know the legal situation. It's also good to know what you're getting for your money.
At the end of 2018, the Spanish rental market was in a real mess. A package of measures to reform Spanish tenancy law was initially passed after lengthy negotiations and then scrapped again after a few weeks. The breakthrough in tenancy law then came in spring 2019. The current version applies to contracts concluded from March 6. The rest are grandfathered. The current tenancy law
A Spanish long-term tenancy agreement is valid for a term of five years. However, the landlord can register their own requirements at any time. Once the five years are up and there has been no proper termination by the landlord or tenant, the contract is extended for a further three years. The notice period for the landlord is four months, that of the tenant two months. The security deposits have also been limited. A deposit of one month's rent and a maximum guarantee of two months' rent are permitted. In the case of forced conversions, social housing cases enjoy certain protective mechanisms. The competent court must notify the social welfare authority of the case. This authority can arrange a postponement of up to two months to give the tenant sufficient time to find a solution. Service charges directly to the landlord?
It is important for Spanish rental properties to regulate the payment of utilities such as water and electricity. Both apartments and houses often have contracts that have been in place for years or decades and are in the name of the landlord or even the landlord's parents. In these cases, property owners rarely want to change and rewrite. The service charges are then paid in advance by the landlord - usually debited - and then invoiced to the tenant. In any case, the original receipts should be submitted. The rent is either paid by bank transfer or in cash, which is most often the case, by the fourth of each month at the latest. Direct debits are rather rare in Spain. When paying in cash, it is advisable to keep a small notebook in which the landlord receipts the payment. In some cases, the landlord will also issue receipts of receipt. Möbliert oder unmöbliert?
There are furnished and unfurnished apartments and houses on the market. It is not uncommon for furnished properties to be filled with old pieces from the family estate. This does not suit every taste. However, many landlords are happy to remove some or all of the existing furniture on request. Furnished rental properties are often slightly more expensive than unfurnished ones.
One disadvantage in some cases is the kitchen furnishings: used and often in a poorly maintained condition, the kitchen is not exactly an advertisement for sophisticated cooking parties.
A kitchen equipped with the usual appliances may or may not be present. In many Spanish rental properties, the appliances are there, but the tenant must provide the fixtures and fittings, such as a stove, fridge or oven. This also applies to washing machines and dryers. The appliances must then be taken with you when you move out. A possible takeover of the appliances by the landlord can be negotiated in the contract and recorded in writing.
Back in its original condition
In Spain, the costs for the wear and tear of the property („deterioro“) must be borne by the tenant. This means that if the tenant takes over a property that is suitable for living in, it must be returned in its original condition when they move out. Of course, the landlord must ensure that any damage for which the tenant is not responsible is repaired during the rental period. This includes, for example, burst pipes or damage to the domestic electrical network. If the landlord does not fulfill this obligation, the tenant cannot simply take matters into their own hands and offset the costs by withholding the rent. This is tantamount to a breach of contract in Spain.
Pay attention to infrastructure
When choosing a suitable property, tenants should also take a look at its utilities. This is especially true for homes in the countryside. Is there a connection to the public electricity grid? Does the water come from the central supply or does the house have a cistern? In the latter case, ask whether it is a natural well or a replenishable well that requires a tanker to be ordered regularly.
Each well has a pump. In most cases, this is powered by electricity. However, some pumps still have a diesel-powered motor. Tenants should also find out about this in advance.
Good entertainment - satellite dish and co
While German programs are quite easy to tune in and receive almost everywhere via satellite dish, it is more difficult with telephone and internet. Not every house in Mallorca has a telephone connection, let alone an internet connection. And the leading company Movistar cannot always lay a suitable line.
Providers such as ConectaBalear or ib-red now offer help for remote regions of the island with high-speed technology. Telephone and internet are then reliably delivered to your own four walls via satellite or antenna.
