Booking temporary housing safely

It is for anyone thinking about, planning or carrying out a move to Spain. You do not need a Spanish bank account or any local knowledge to use it.

Start with "Where to book temporary housing: platforms, hosts, hotels or agencies". It compares the main booking channels on price, cancellation terms, protection and fees, so you can choose before you pay anyone.

If you do not live in Spain and cannot visit the place first, read "Booking from abroad: what changes". It covers paying safely and checking a stay from a distance.

Key rules

• Chargeback window: Visa and Mastercard generally allow chargebacks for about 120 days from the transaction or expected service date, with an absolute maximum of around 540 days, and issuers may set shorter windows such as 60 days.
• Platform claim deadline: You must report an issue to Airbnb within 72 hours of discovering it and of checking in to be covered by AirCover protection.
• Deposit cap: Seasonal and tourist lets have no statutory cap on deposits under Spanish law, though excessive sums may be challenged as abusive under consumer law.
• Registration number: Since 1 July 2025, hosts of tourist and seasonal lets in Spain must obtain a registration number from the national registry and display it in every listing, in addition to any regional tourist licence number.
• When to pay: Do not pay anything until the property, host and licence checks pass and you have the terms in writing, then pay through the platform or by credit card.
• Guest registration: Lodging providers in Spain must collect traveller identity data for guests aged 14 or over and send it to the Ministry of the Interior within 24 hours of the guest's arrival.

Booking temporary housing safely: the whole process, step by step

• Compare booking channels and their fees (Where to book temporary housing: platforms, hosts, hotels or agencies): Before you start searching

• Find out whether the stay is a tourist or seasonal let and what local rules apply (Finding the local rules on tourist and seasonal lets): Before you contact any host

• Check the listing, host and registration numbers (How to check a temporary listing is real and legal before paying). If you are abroad and cannot check remotely, start with a short, flexible first stay (Booking from abroad: what changes): Before you pay anything

• Get the price, deposit, cancellation terms and host details in writing (What your booking terms, invoice (factura) and guest registration mean): After the checks pass and before you pay

• Pay through the platform or by credit card, and keep every receipt and message (Paying for temporary housing before you have a Spanish bank account): Only once the checks pass and the terms are in writing

• Tell the host your arrival time and confirm a late arrival arrangement if you land after about 22:00 (Planning arrival day: airport transfer, check-in and keys): Before you travel

• Plan about 2.5-3.5 hours between landing and reaching the property, more for international arrivals, big luggage or self check-in with ID upload (Planning arrival day: airport transfer, check-in and keys): On arrival day

• If the host or keys are unreachable, try every channel, then contact platform support and book alternative accommodation after an hour or two (Planning arrival day: airport transfer, check-in and keys): Straight away on arrival. For Airbnb AirCover protection, report the issue within 72 hours of discovering it and of checking in

• If the booking fails, ask your card issuer for a chargeback (Paying for temporary housing before you have a Spanish bank account): Visa and Mastercard generally allow about 120 days from the transaction or expected service date

Documents you may need

Identity and residence

• Host or operator identity — What your booking terms, invoice (factura) and guest registration mean, How to check a temporary listing is real and legal before paying
• Written confirmation or contract showing both parties' full names and ID — What your booking terms, invoice (factura) and guest registration mean

The home and the lease

• House rules from the host — What your booking terms, invoice (factura) and guest registration mean
• Listing screenshot showing the licence number — Booking from abroad: what changes
• House rules and community rules — How to check a temporary listing is real and legal before paying
• A nota simple — Booking from abroad: what changes

Payments and receipts

• The invoice or receipt — Booking from abroad: what changes

Other documents

• As a limit on what a booking proves — What your booking terms, invoice (factura) and guest registration mean

Each article lists the other documents it asks for, where you need them.

Booking temporary housing safely: questions that cross several articles

How do I know if my stay is a tourist let or a seasonal let?

A tourist let is sold for short holiday stays and needs a regional licence. A seasonal let is for work, study or other non-permanent use and is mostly governed by its contract. In many regions the dividing line is around 30 days, but it differs by region. Read Finding the local rules on tourist and seasonal lets, then How to check a temporary listing is real and legal before paying.

Which office confirms that a listing and host are genuine?

No single office confirms both, so you check three places. The regional tourist register confirms the licence, the national registry confirms the registration number, and a nota simple from the Registro de la Propiedad (the property registry) confirms who owns the place.

Which payment methods protect me if the host turns out to be fake?

Platform payment and credit card give the most protection. Cash, money-transfer services, gift cards and crypto are untraceable and a common scam pattern. Read Paying for temporary housing before you have a Spanish bank account, and Where to book temporary housing: platforms, hosts, hotels or agencies for platform protection.

What if I am abroad and cannot check anything in person?

Book a short, flexible first stay with payment protection, or ask a lawyer or gestor to check ownership for you. See Booking from abroad: what changes.