The short version
- Most of the Spanish for renting a flat is a small set of words that repeat in every ad, call and contract. Learn those first.
- Prepare three short conversations: the first message, the viewing, and the questions about money and the contract.
- Ask the agent or landlord to send details by WhatsApp or email so you can check them calmly afterwards.
Here's a typical ad on a Spanish property site: Piso exterior, 2 hab., 1 baño, 2º sin ascensor, amueblado, gastos no incluidos. If you can read that without reaching for a translator, you're already ahead. If you can't, don't worry. The Spanish for renting a flat is mostly the same thirty or so words, over and over.
The harder part is the talking. The agent calls back and speaks quickly. At the viewing there are three other people looking round and you've got two minutes to ask your questions. Then there's a contract full of words you've never seen.
This post takes you through it in order: reading the ad, making contact, the viewing, money, and the contract. Learn one stage at a time and practise the phrases out loud before you need them.
Reading the ad
Ads on Spanish property sites use a lot of abbreviations. Once you know them, you can scroll through dozens of listings quickly and only contact the ones that fit.
| In the ad | What it means |
|---|---|
| piso | flat (also "floor", as in which floor) |
| estudio | studio flat |
| hab. / dorm. | bedrooms (habitaciones / dormitorios) |
| 2º, 3º | 2nd floor, 3rd floor |
| bajo | ground floor |
| ático | top-floor flat, often with a terrace |
| exterior / interior | faces the street / faces an inner courtyard |
| con ascensor / sin ascensor | with a lift / without a lift |
| amueblado / sin amueblar | furnished / unfurnished |
| gastos incluidos | bills included |
| m² útiles | usable floor space |
| trastero | storage room |
Exterior and interior are worth paying attention to. An interior flat looks onto a light well or courtyard, so it can be quieter but darker. Many people in Spain have strong opinions about this, and it's a good thing to ask about if the ad doesn't say.
Making first contact
Most first contact happens by message or phone. A message is easier: you can take your time, and you have a written record. Keep it short.
- Hola, buenas.Hi there.
- Hola, buenas. Te escribo por el piso de la calle Mayor.Hi there. I'm writing about the flat on Calle Mayor.
- Hola, buenas. Te escribo por el piso de la calle Mayor. ¿Sigue disponible?Hi there. I'm writing about the flat on Calle Mayor. Is it still available?
- Hola, buenas. Te escribo por el piso de la calle Mayor. ¿Sigue disponible? ¿Se podría ver esta semana?Hi there. I'm writing about the flat on Calle Mayor. Is it still available? Could I see it this week?
If you're phoning instead, change te escribo to te llamo. Agents in Spain often use tú straight away, especially by WhatsApp. If the ad is from an older private landlord, usted is a safe start: Le llamo por el piso…
If calls make you nervous, there's a whole post on handling phone calls in Spanish. The short version: say at the start that your Spanish isn't perfect, and ask them to slow down. Perdona, ¿puedes hablar un poco más despacio? is completely normal.
At the viewing
A viewing is called una visita. You usually get a few minutes, so decide on your questions in advance and actually ask them. It's easy to walk round nodding and leave without knowing whether the heating works.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| ¿Cuánto es el alquiler al mes? | How much is the rent a month? |
| ¿Los gastos están incluidos? | Are bills included? |
| ¿Cuánto se paga de comunidad? | How much are the building fees? |
| ¿La calefacción es de gas o eléctrica? | Is the heating gas or electric? |
| ¿Tiene aire acondicionado? | Does it have air conditioning? |
| ¿Se admiten mascotas? | Are pets allowed? |
| ¿Desde cuándo está disponible? | When is it available from? |
| ¿Cuánto tiempo es el contrato? | How long is the contract? |
La comunidad is the monthly fee for the building's shared costs, like cleaning the stairs or maintaining the lift. Sometimes the landlord pays it, sometimes the tenant does. Always ask.
That last question is useful. Agencies often ask for proof of income, such as a work contract or recent payslips (nóminas), and a copy of your ID. If you know that in advance, you can have the documents ready and move quickly, which matters in cities where flats go fast.
At the end of a call or viewing, say ¿Me lo puedes mandar por WhatsApp? or ¿Me lo mandas por correo? (Can you send it to me by WhatsApp / email?). You get the price, the conditions and the address in writing, so you can read them slowly afterwards, look up any words, and make sure you understood. Nobody finds this odd. Plenty of Spanish people do the same.
Money and the contract
This is where the vocabulary gets more formal. You don't need to use all of these words, but you do need to recognise them when you hear or read them.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| el alquiler | the rent (also "renting") |
| la fianza | the deposit |
| el mes por adelantado | the month in advance |
| el aval / la garantía | a guarantee (sometimes a bank guarantee) |
| el contrato de alquiler | the rental contract |
| el propietario / la propietaria | the owner |
| el casero / la casera | the landlord / landlady (informal) |
| el inquilino / la inquilina | the tenant |
| la inmobiliaria | the estate agent |
| los suministros | the utilities (water, electricity, gas) |
For a standard long-term rental in Spain, the legal deposit is one month's rent, though landlords can ask for extra guarantees on top. Since 2023, agency fees on long-term rentals are meant to be paid by the landlord rather than the tenant. Rules do change and some regions have their own, so check the current position (or ask a gestor) before you pay anything.
Before you sign, it's worth asking a few direct questions. They're easy to say and they can save you a lot of trouble later.
- ¿Quién paga las reparaciones? Who pays for repairs?
- ¿Me puedo empadronar aquí? Can I register on the padrón at this address?
- ¿Cómo se devuelve la fianza? How is the deposit returned?
- ¿Se puede hacer un inventario? Can we do an inventory?
The empadronamiento question matters because you'll probably need to register at your address for other paperwork. Most landlords are fine with it, but it's better to know before you sign. If you're setting up the rest of your life in Spain at the same time, the Spanish you need in your first month covers the other appointments.
Once you've moved in
You'll still need some Spanish after you get the keys. Things break, and you'll want to tell the landlord clearly.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| La caldera no funciona. | The boiler isn't working. |
| No hay agua caliente. | There's no hot water. |
| Hay una gotera en el baño. | There's a leak in the bathroom ceiling. |
| La lavadora pierde agua. | The washing machine is leaking. |
| ¿Puede venir alguien a mirarlo? | Can someone come and look at it? |
A simple pattern covers most problems: what's wrong + since when + can someone come? La caldera no funciona desde ayer. ¿Puede venir alguien a mirarlo? Send a photo with it and you're done.
You'll also meet your neighbours on the stairs and in the lift. A quick ¡Buenas! goes a long way, and there are more ideas in this post on small talk with neighbours.
Common mistakes
Only reading the price. Bills, building fees and the deposit can add a lot.
Ask about gastos, comunidad and fianza every time.
Nodding through the viewing. You leave without the answers you came for.
Write four questions down and ask all of them, even if your Spanish feels slow.
Agreeing to everything on the phone. It's easy to miss a detail at speed.
Ask them to send it by WhatsApp or email.
Waiting until you've found a flat to learn the words.
Practise the first message and the viewing questions out loud before you start looking.
Recap
- Flat ads use the same thirty or so words. Learn them and scrolling gets much faster.
- Keep your first message short: which flat, is it available, can you see it.
- Decide on your viewing questions in advance and ask all of them.
- Get the details in writing, and check the current rules on deposits and fees.
- Learn a simple pattern for reporting problems once you've moved in.
Renting is one of those conversations you really want to have rehearsed before it happens. 100 Spanish Conversations takes one real-life theme a week and builds the words, sentences and conversation out loud, and you can practise with other learners in the Skool community.
Leeroy studied Spanish for years before moving to Spain and finding he couldn't hold a conversation. He built Basically Spanish around the method that fixed it. Questions? leeroy@basicallyspanish.com