Running your home search while living in temporary housing

Key rules

• Agency fees: The landlord pays the agency's fees for a long-term rental, not you.
• Pay nothing early: Do not pay anything before you have seen the owner's ID and a written reservation document.
• Speed: Well-priced flats in busy cities can go within 24 to 72 hours, so be ready to decide.
• Reservation deposit: If you withdraw after paying a señal, you normally lose it.

Move fast: good listings go in days

In busy cities such as Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia and Málaga, a well-priced flat can be gone within 24 to 72 hours. Small towns are slower. September is especially busy. Treat your temporary weeks as a sprint: have your documents and your budget ready before you start booking viewings.

Search the big portals every day and switch on alerts so you see new listings the moment they appear. Idealista and Fotocasa cover most of the country. Habitaclia is strong in Catalonia. Pisos.com, Milanuncios, local agencies and Facebook groups also carry listings.

Book viewings quickly

Agents and landlords usually offer a viewing within 1 to 7 days of your first contact. In fast markets it is often the same or next day. Phone or WhatsApp gets a faster answer than email. Agents tend to group viewings on set days, and landlords work around the current tenant, so flats that are still occupied can take longer. Evenings and weekends are popular slots, so ask early.

Plan to decide at or soon after the viewing. Many renters have to decide on the spot.

If you cannot view in person

Video viewings are common, and most agents accept them, though some landlords do not. Ask for a live video tour rather than a recorded clip, because recordings can hide defects. If you know someone local, ask them to see the flat for you.

Before you pay anything, ask the landlord or agent to show the owner's ID and the nota simple. Never pay for a flat you have only seen in photos. Fake listings, and requests for money before any viewing or proof of ownership, are the main scam.

Who pays the agent

The landlord pays the agency's fees and the cost of drawing up the contract, not you. This has been the law for long-term home rentals since 26 May 2023, even when the landlord hired the agency. It does not cover seasonal lets. If you hire an agent yourself to search for you, you may pay for that service. If an agency asks you to pay its fees on a landlord's listing, push back.

Reserving a flat

To take a flat off the market while checks are completed, you usually pay a reservation deposit (a señal or reserva). It is typically one month's rent, sometimes less. Ask for a written reservation document that states:

• the amount and the rent
• the start date
• the conditions for a refund
• the owner's details

If you pull out, you normally lose the deposit. If the landlord pulls out, they may have to return double. You should get it back if the landlord rejects you or if a condition in the document is not met. When you sign the lease, the amount is deducted from the first rent or the security deposit.

Signing from a distance

You can sign without being in Spain. Electronic signature, signing by mail and signing through a power of attorney are all accepted. A qualified electronic signature carries the same weight as a handwritten one. A simple e-signature is valid but easier to challenge. A written lease is standard and either side can demand one. The landlord must still register the security deposit (fianza) with the regional body in most regions. Some landlords or regional offices still ask for originals or an in-person step, so ask early.

Use the decision, documents, checklist and timeline below to plan your steps.

Choosing between options

How do you view and sign for a flat while you are away?

• Live video tour: Fits when the agent or landlord offers it. Most agents accept it for people moving from abroad.

• Local contact views the flat: Fits when you cannot trust a video or want an honest view of the flat's condition.

• Sign electronically or by mail: Fits when you can sign yourself, even from abroad.

• Sign through a power of attorney: Fits when you cannot sign at all and someone you trust can sign for you.

Never pay before signing a contract, whichever way you view or sign.

Timeline and deadlines

• Message the agent or landlord by phone or WhatsApp about a listing: as soon as you see it

• Pay a reservation deposit against a written reservation document: after the viewing, once you decide to take the flat

• Sign the lease; the deposit is deducted from the first rent or the security deposit: after the checks are completed

Documents you need

• The owner's ID, which you ask the landlord or agent to show before you pay anything.

• The nota simple, a land registry extract that shows who owns the flat. Ask the landlord or agent for it.

• A written reservation document stating the amount, the rent, the start date, the refund conditions and the owner's details.

• A written lease. A lease is valid even if oral, but a written one is standard and either side can demand it.

• A power of attorney, only if someone else will sign the lease for you while you are away.

Checklist

• Set up alerts on Idealista and Fotocasa, and on Habitaclia if you search in Catalonia, so you see new listings the day they appear.

• Be ready to view and decide within 24 to 72 hours in busy cities, since well-priced listings can go that fast.

• Ask for a live video tour if you cannot attend, or ask a local contact to view the flat for you.

• Ask whether the lease can be signed electronically, by mail or through a power of attorney.

• Get a written reservation document with the amount, rent, start date, refund conditions and owner's details before you pay a deposit.

What to watch out for

• Fake listings and early payment requests: Some listings have no real landlord, and some ask for a deposit before any viewing or proof of ownership. You can lose the money. Never pay before signing a contract. Ask for the owner's ID and the nota simple first.

• Videos that hide defects: A video can leave out damp, noise or damage.

• Losing your reservation deposit: If you withdraw after paying, you normally lose it. A payment to someone who does not own the flat may never come back. Pay only against a written reservation document that states the refund conditions, such as a refund if the landlord rejects you.

Frequently asked questions

Who pays the agent when I rent a long-term home?

The landlord pays the agency and formalisation costs on a long-term housing rental, even if the landlord hired the agency. If an agency asks you for its fee, push back. The exception is an agent you hired yourself for your own search, whom you may have to pay. Seasonal leases are outside this rule.

How soon can I usually see a flat after I get in touch?

Usually within 1 to 7 days, and often the same or next day in fast markets. Agents tend to batch viewings on set days, and an occupied flat can take longer. Answer quickly by phone or WhatsApp to get a slot.