Spotting damp and leaks during a viewing

Terms used

• Salitre — Salitre is the white powdery salt deposit left on walls when moisture passes through them.
• Cubierta — The cubierta is the roof of a building.
• Patios de luces — Patios de luces are inner light wells shared by a building's flats, with windows opening onto them.
• Comunidad — The comunidad is the community of owners that runs a building's shared areas.
• ITE — The ITE is a town-set technical inspection report on an older building's condition.
• IEE — The IEE is a building evaluation report covering an older building's condition, set by national and regional rules.
• Administrador de fincas — The administrador de fincas is the professional who manages a building's community of owners.

Key rules

• Walk away: Visible damp or mould with no clear fix is a good reason to reject the home before signing.
• Cover-ups: Fresh paint on one patch, or furniture hiding external walls, means you should ask what was repaired and ask for proof.
• Timing: A dry summer viewing can hide damp, so revisit after rain or in winter if you can.
• Building report: The ITE or IEE records defects in shared parts of older buildings but not the inside of your flat.

The short version

Look at ceilings, wall bases, corners and the backs of wardrobes, and use your nose. If you find signs of damp, or signs that someone hid them, do not sign until you have a clear explanation and proof it is fixed. Rejecting the flat is a fine answer.

What damp and leaks look like

Check for these signs in every room:

• Rings or tide-marks on ceilings and walls, often yellow-brown. These point to a leak.
• A horizontal stain band, or damp up to about 1 m from the floor. This suggests rising damp.
• Peeling, bubbling or flaking paint and plaster.
• White powdery deposits on walls (salitre). This is a sign of moisture passing through the wall.
• Black mould spots in corners, behind wardrobes and around windows. This usually comes from condensation.
• A musty smell, even if you can't see anything.
• Swollen or lifting skirting boards, parquet or door frames.
• Rusted fittings and stained tiles or grout.

Where to look first

Problems cluster in the same places:

• Bathrooms and kitchens: pipes, shower trays, sealant and extraction fans.
• North-facing and external walls, room corners and the backs of wardrobes.
• Ground floors, semi-basements and basements.
• Top-floor ceilings under the roof (cubierta).
• Windows, their frames and the area above them.
• Terraces and balconies above living space.
• Walls shared with a neighbour's bathroom or kitchen.
• Patios de luces and facades with cracks.

If there is a bathroom upstairs, look at the ceiling below it.

Signs someone has covered it up

• Fresh paint on one wall or one ceiling patch, or new-smelling paint in an otherwise worn home.
• Paint patches with a different sheen. Stain-blocking paint often looks like this.
• New tiles or panels in just one area.
• Furniture, wardrobes or pictures pushed against external walls.
• Air fresheners, a strongly scented home, or a home that has just been aired.
• A dehumidifier running.

Then test what you see:

• Ask to move furniture, and look behind wardrobes.
• Tap walls and listen for a hollow sound.
• Press stained areas to see if they feel soft.
• Bring a damp meter if you can.

When you view matters

In summer, dry heat and open windows hide condensation. Old leak stains can look harmless once they dry. Winter, and the days after heavy rain, show the real picture: mould, active leaks from roofs, terraces and facades, and rising damp at its worst.

If you can, come back after rain or in the cold months, ideally in the morning. Rain is common in autumn on the Mediterranean coast (gota fría), and the north gets frequent rain all year. Ask neighbours about past problems too.

Ask for documents

Ask the landlord or seller about past leaks and insurance claims. If you are buying, also ask for past minutes of the community of owners (comunidad). They often record leaks and repairs in shared areas.

Older buildings usually have a building inspection report, the ITE or IEE. It records damp and leak defects in shared parts such as the structure, facade, roof, water-tightness, plumbing and drainage. It does not cover the inside of individual flats in detail. The age at which a building needs one varies by town and region, usually from 30 to 50 years.

The community of owners holds the report. The administrador de fincas or the community president can give a copy to an owner. If you are buying, ask the seller to get it. Some regions keep registers, and the town hall may release it to someone with a legitimate interest. The documents and FAQ below add more.

Decide before you sign

• Visible damp or mould with no clear fix: walk away.
• Fresh paint over one patch with no explanation: ask what was repaired, by whom, and for the invoice.
• No access to the reports or minutes: treat that as a warning.

Documents you need

• The building inspection report (ITE or IEE), which covers structure, facade, roof, water-tightness, plumbing and drainage in older buildings. The community of owners holds it, and the seller can request it from the administrator (administrador de fincas) or the president.

Frequently asked questions

Can a dry summer viewing hide damp?

Yes, a summer viewing can hide damp, because dry heat and open windows hide condensation and old leak stains can dry out and look harmless.

Which rooms should I check first for damp?

Start with bathrooms and kitchens, then north-facing and external walls, room corners and the backs of wardrobes. Also check ground floors and basements, top-floor ceilings under the roof, windows and their frames, and terraces above living space. A party wall next to a wet room or a neighbour's flat can also hide leaks.

Can I ask to see the building's inspection report?

Yes, for older buildings you can ask the seller to get the building's inspection report (ITE or IEE) from the community of owners. It records damp and leak defects in common parts such as the facade, roof and pipes, but not the inside of individual flats. The administrator (administrador de fincas) or the president holds the copy.

How can I tell if damp has been hidden before a viewing?

Look for fresh paint on just one wall or ceiling patch, furniture pushed against external walls, or a strong scent of air freshener. Move the furniture, tap walls for a hollow sound, press for softness and check the ceiling under the upstairs bathroom. Ask for past community minutes and insurance claims.