Paying rent and deposits by bank, Bizum or cash

Terms used

• Fianza — The fianza is one month's rent, paid to the landlord as security for the lease.
• IBAN — The IBAN is the international bank account number you use to send a transfer.
• Bizum — Bizum is a phone-based service for sending money between Spanish bank accounts using a phone number.
• Domiciliación — Domiciliación is a direct debit, where the landlord or company charges a receipt to your bank account.
• Orden permanente — An orden permanente is a standing order: your bank sends a fixed amount on a set date each month.
• Recibo — A recibo is a signed receipt confirming a payment.
• Justificante — A justificante is the bank's confirmation document for a transfer.

Key rules

• Cash limit: Cash payments are limited to 1,000 euros when one side is a business or professional, and cash is a weak way to prove rent.
• Proof: Keep every transfer confirmation and your bank statements for the whole lease and for several years after.
• Deposit: Pay the fianza by transfer with a signed receipt, and ask for proof that it was registered.
• IBAN change: If the landlord gives you a new IBAN, get written confirmation first.

The safest way to pay: bank transfer

Pay the rent by bank transfer to the IBAN named in your lease, from an account in your name. The transfer leaves a record that shows who paid whom, how much and when. That is the proof you need if a dispute comes up later.

Never pay into a third party's account unless the contract says so. If the landlord gives you a new IBAN, ask for written confirmation before you use it.

What to write in the transfer

Use the reference line to say what the payment is. Include the month, the property address and "alquiler". A standing order (orden permanente) sends the same amount on the same day each month. It gives you a regular, consistent record without extra effort.

Keep the bank's transfer confirmation (justificante) for every payment. Keep your statements for the whole lease and ideally for several years after.

Cash: avoid it

Cash is a weak way to prove rent. The law also limits cash payments to 1,000 euros when one side is a business or professional. A private landlord letting to a private tenant is generally outside that limit, but the tax authority discourages cash anyway. If the limit applies, both sides can be fined and are jointly liable.

If you do pay any amount in cash, ask for a signed receipt (recibo) on the spot.

Receipts

The landlord must give you a receipt for each rent payment if you ask. The landlord bears the cost of the receipt, not you. A transfer confirmation also works as proof, but a signed receipt is useful if you ever pay in cash.

Bizum: only for small, one-off payments

Bizum is a poor fit for rent or a deposit. Banks set per-operation and daily limits, often below a typical rent, and the limits differ by bank. The payee is identified by phone number and the reference line is short, so the record is weaker than a transfer.

If you still use it, keep screenshots and your statements, and get a written acknowledgement from the landlord.

Direct debit

Most private landlords ask for a transfer or standing order. Direct debit (domiciliación) is more common with agencies, property companies and large landlords. Landlords more often ask for it for utilities and community fees than for the rent itself. Agree to it only if you are comfortable with the landlord charging your account.

The deposit (fianza)

The fianza is one month's rent. Pay it by bank transfer with "fianza" as the reference, and get a signed receipt.

The landlord must register the fianza with the regional body. Which body and how fast depends on your region. In Catalonia, for example, it is due within about a month. Ask the landlord for the proof of registration.

At the end of the lease, the landlord must return the fianza within one month, or interest is due.

The checklist, documents list and timeline below set out the steps and what to keep.

Choosing between options

How should you pay the rent and the deposit?

• Bank transfer to the landlord's IBAN: Best for the fianza and for the rent when you want the clearest record.

• Standing order: Fits when you pay the same amount every month and want a regular, consistent record.

• Direct debit (domiciliación): Fits when the landlord is an agency or company that collects by receipt; private landlords rarely ask for it.

• Bizum: Only for small or one-off payments, as bank limits are usually below a typical rent and the record is weaker.

Choose a transfer or standing order to the IBAN in the lease unless the landlord is an agency that collects by direct debit; keep Bizum for small amounts.

Bank limits for Bizum differ by bank, so check yours before relying on it.

Timeline and deadlines

• Pay the fianza by bank transfer with "fianza" as the reference and get a signed receipt: when you sign the lease

• Landlord registers the fianza with the regional body; in Catalonia (INCASÒL) this is due within about a month: after you pay the fianza

• Ask the landlord for the proof of registration: once the registration deadline for your region has passed

• Landlord returns the fianza, or interest is due: within 1 month of the end of the lease

Documents you need

• A signed receipt (recibo) from the landlord for each rent payment, which you can ask for at any time and which the landlord pays for. It matters most when you pay in cash.

• The bank's transfer confirmation (justificante) for each rent payment, showing the lease IBAN, your name as sender and a reference with the month, the address and "alquiler".

• Your bank statements for the length of the lease, kept ideally for several years after.

• A signed receipt from the landlord for the fianza, paid by transfer with "fianza" as the reference.

• Proof that the landlord has registered the fianza with the regional body.

• Written confirmation from the landlord if the IBAN for payments changes.

• If you pay by Bizum: screenshots, your bank statements and a written acknowledgement from the landlord.

Checklist

• Write the month, the property address and "alquiler" in the transfer reference.

• Set up a standing order (orden permanente) so you have a regular, consistent record.

• Ask for a signed receipt whenever you pay in cash, and avoid cash beyond the 1,000 euros limit that applies when one side is a business or professional.

• If you use Bizum for a small payment, keep screenshots and statements and get a written acknowledgement.

• Ask your landlord whether they want rent by domiciliación; if they do, check the amount and date before the first debit.

Frequently asked questions

Can my landlord ask me to pay the rent by direct debit?

Yes, a landlord can ask for direct debit (domiciliación), but most private landlords of long-term lets take a bank transfer or standing order instead. Direct debit is more common with agencies, property companies and large landlords. Utilities and community fees are the bills usually collected this way.

Do I have to pay the receipt cost if I ask the landlord for a rent receipt?

No, the landlord must give you a receipt for each rent payment on request, and the cost falls on the landlord, not you. If you pay in cash, insist on a signed one. For bank transfers, the transfer confirmation works as proof.

How long should I keep my rent transfer confirmations?

Keep your transfer confirmations and bank statements for the whole lease, and ideally for several years after it ends. They are your proof if a dispute comes up about what you paid.

When does my landlord have to give back the deposit?

The landlord must return the fianza within one month of the end of the lease, or interest is due on it. Keep your signed receipt and the proof of registration to back up your claim.