First time renting a property out

30 days is a short let and you would need a tourist licence to be able to do so. This can take quite a long time at the moment and you have to register to both pay tax on the rent you receive and to register the stay with the police. The bit of good news is that you no longer need to pay tax at the end of each quarter even if you are non resident and they have changed the rules so you do it annually from 2024. 

If this is a one off and you know the Spanish locals very well, as in good friends, you could just do it without telling anyone but, again, be aware as they are clamping down on what they call "illegal" lets all over this area. 

I also say if you know the family very well as there have been a lot of cases of people going in and then impossible to get them out afterwards. You'd need a very good, watertight contract with them which means you couldn't do it without getting a licence which you have to get permission for from your community and then your town hall. 

Quite a lot of advice here on how to get the licence and John123456 has put up some good links on the procedure but people have been saying it takes months and months to get approval. 

These links may provide you with all the answers:

https://www.healthplanspain.com/blog/expat-tips/1761-renting-in-spain-tips-guidelines-for-landlords.html

https://www.idealista.com/en/news/property-for-rent-in-spain/2022/06/07/67027-how-to-rent-out-a-property-in-spain

https://www.globexs.com/global-mobility/how-to-rent-out-property-spain/

Hi Paul,

If you know the Spanish local well enough to rent to them, I assume you know why they only want to rent your property for 30 days?  Nevertheless, rental laws in Spain are weighted very heavily in favour of the tenant, even when you have a water tight contract, because unscrupulous tenants know that the Courts are overloaded and they can overstay for years before you can get a Court Order to evict them, and even then, there are several ways that they can frustrate that procedure.  In the meantime, as the owner, you continue to be liable for IBI (Council Tax), Community Fees (if you're on a Community of Owners) and any bills on which they default, e.g. electricity, water, etc.

Good for you for asking the right questions, but I would seriously consider whether the potential pitfalls are worth it for a 30 day period.

Kind regards,

Kim

Let me guess - I suspect they want it for August? If so, this is the Spanish holiday month. I'd be very, very careful if this is the case because it'll be used as a party house. They might say they want it for a couple of people, but you'll probably find there will be about 20+ people there. It'll be trashed and the electric bill will be through the roof. You have been warned.

First, if they live locally why do they want to rent your house? You need to establish the reason.  They aren't renting as tourists as they already live nearby, so are they asking to rent it so their family can have a holiday at yours? (and then not leave?)  If anyone, Spanish or foreign, uses the property for tourism purposes you need a Tourist License, you need to meet all the requirements set in the regulations, have appropriate insurance, register the guests on arrival and pay tax on the rental income.  If the people are looking to rent to live in yours while, for example, having some renovation work done on their own property, then it is a temporary residential let, not a tourist let, and you will need the correct type of contract and insurance.  But as others have said, why would someone local be asking to rent your property?  Ask the reason and be sure they are genuine.  If in any doubt, just say no - it is your house so your choice.

Thank you for all responding, your advice and help is really appreciated! ☺️

I don't really know the man who asked me, he is a local bar owner. He was asking for a friend of his; she later spoke to me and said she wanted my house for the month of May which is their Fiesta. She told me that there would be seven women, including herself and they wanted the house to put on their costumes and makeup. She said they would not be sleeping or eating there.

There is no way we can do this legally, with everything in place before May, by the sound of it, so it's a 'no' to my Spanish 'friend', I think.

This ( sort of "rental") is frequently common around here in my experience after well over 20 yrs, during or following fiestas, bar owners, town dwellers for a break, weeks etc. 

Legality aside, Go with your common-sense & instinct. No one on here, (hopefully) will give you illegal advice. V