Budgeting for repairs and surprise household costs

Key rules

• Habitability repairs: The landlord pays to keep the home habitable, unless you caused the damage.
• Small repairs: You pay for small repairs from everyday use, unless your lease says otherwise.
• Renter allowance: Set aside about one month of rent a year for small appliances and minor wear.
• Car reserve: If you have a car, keep a separate repair reserve and budget for the ITV.

Who pays for repairs in a rental

The landlord pays for repairs needed to keep the home habitable, and cannot raise your rent to cover them. The exception is damage you caused. You pay for small repairs that come from everyday use.

Your lease can split small items differently, so read it for any clause on appliances or minor fixes before you sign.

What you must do when something breaks

Tell your landlord promptly about anything that needs repair. Do it in writing, such as by email or message, so you have a record.

If a repair is urgent, you can arrange it yourself and claim the cost back from the landlord. Keep the invoice and photos of the problem.

What to set aside

For a renter, a sensible allowance is about one month of rent a year. It covers small appliances and minor wear. This is a budgeting rule of thumb, not an official rule. Keep it separate from your emergency buffer so a broken kettle or washing machine does not drain it.

If your household has a car, add a separate car reserve. Typical costs vary by workshop:

• Brakes: EUR 150-400
• Service: EUR 100-250
• Clutch: EUR 300-800

Car inspection (ITV)

The ITV is the compulsory car inspection. Each region sets the fee. Expect roughly EUR 30-50 for a petrol car and EUR 35-60 for a diesel. A car needs its first inspection at 4 years, then every 2 years until 10 years, then every year. Put the next due date in your calendar and budget for it.

The checklist and questions below cover the rest in short form.

Checklist

• Read your lease to see which small repairs and appliances it assigns to you as the tenant.

• Tell your landlord promptly about any repair that is needed to keep the home habitable, since the landlord pays for those unless you caused the damage.

• Set aside about one month of rent a year for small appliances and minor wear.

• Check when your car's next ITV inspection is due and budget EUR 30-60 for the fee, depending on your region and fuel type.

Check the allowance figures and ITV fee with your lease and your region's ITV station.

Frequently asked questions

Can I fix an urgent problem myself and charge my landlord?

Yes, for urgent repairs you can arrange them yourself and claim the cost back from the landlord. Tell the landlord about the problem promptly. Damage you caused yourself is not covered.

How much does an ITV car inspection cost in Spain?

The ITV fee is usually about EUR 30-50 for a petrol car and EUR 35-60 for a diesel. Each region sets its own fee.

How much should I set aside for car repairs?

Keep a car repair reserve separate from your home allowance. Typical costs are EUR 150-400 for brakes, EUR 100-250 for a service and EUR 300-800 for a clutch, depending on the workshop.