You might have heard about some frauds that happened to friends, colleagues or relatives when renting a property in Barcelona. Also, finding the right dwelling can take a long time, you could feel overwhelmed by the quantity of property and may not know how and where to start. As a trustworthy and supportive real estate agency, these issues can be avoided when you contract our services. These are the tips we provide to guarantee a good operation without headache.
What is essential to do when renting a property in Barcelona?
Do not worry, we will obviously pay attention to that detail and provide the right advice.
First of all, stick a reasonable budget, even though you fall in love with a pricey property. Your house expenditure should not exceed 35% of your income. This is to avoid unpleasant surprises as utility bills will have to be added in most cases and you may need to furnish the property.
Get to know the city to make sure it fits your expectations and that the area you want to settle in is convenient for your daily life. Find a guide of Barcelona’s neighbourhoods here in case you need it.
During the visit, pay close attention to every detail and feature. Ask yourself: does the property and the building contain what I need? Will I feel comfortable there? Is it spacious enough? Make a list of what is essential for you and check whether the dwelling meets your expectations.
Ask for a justification of the rental price
The price of the properties we propose is always justified. When setting the rental price, we compare the prices of properties with similar characteristics in the area, discuss it with the owner and according of its features we come to an agreement.
If the properties have been recently refurbished, contains designer furniture and high-end technology devices, expect the rent to be higher than the average one.
No payment in advance
We will never require to pay anything before you visit the property, we talk about the rental conditions, we present you the contract and make sure you agree with everything. It is never advisable to make hurried decisions even though you are desperate to find a new home. You should never feel pressured as it may be a sign of hoax.
Visit of the properties
We recommend you to visit the properties before signing any contract or making any decision. Our agents will organise a viewing during which each of your doubt will be clarified.
If you are away and really want visit a property, we sometimes propose you a virtual tour that we can comment you via Skype. If you prefer you could do it on our own when you have time.
Face-to-face meetings
In most cases, except if living abroad, you will get to meet the owner. This will bring peace of mind for both parties and is an opportunity to ask any question and negotiate the contract’s terms.
The rental contract
Always read the conditions of the contract! You should definitely know the basic details such as the monthly payment, the contract duration, the expenses for each party, who is responsible for the maintenance of the home, etc. Try to negotiate if you disagree with some of the conditions.
For legal reasons, every rental condition should be recorded in writing. Any spoken agreement is null in case of disagreement or breach of contract. Therefore, we always provide two hard copies of the contract – one for you and one for the owner. The conditions that both parties previously agree on appear on them and every page have to be signed.
Also, make sure to know the tenants’ right in terms of expenses. You will find them in this article.
Deposit
By law, it is compulsory that the landlord places your deposit in the corresponding autonomous agency (Incasol). This deposit should not exceed the equivalent of three months of rent. Our clients usually ask for a two-month deposit. Also, make sure to keep the receipt of any payment you make to present it in case of disagreement.
When you leave the property and give the keys back, you will not receive the deposit back immediately. First of all, Incasol will deposit the money to the landlord’s bank account 25 days later. Then, according to the damage you caused and the pending bills, you should receive the difference as soon as possible.
Protect your new home and belongings
When renting a property in Barcelona insurances are important details you should take into consideration. You could get two kinds of insurances once you move in: one in case of damages in the property and another one in case of burglary.
In the first case, you need to be covered for potential incidents that could damage your dwelling and maybe the neighbourhoods’ home.
In the second case, covering your belongings could be a guide idea as you are never 100% sure that nobody will break into your property.
This article could be of great help: What to do before contracting a home insurance in Spain
Relationship with the owner
Try to maintain a good relationship with the owner and / or administrator of the dwelling. Finding acceptable rental conditions in a city like Barcelona is getting complicated, so make sure you maintain the property as you find it. If you are a good tenant, there are many chances that the owner decides to renew the contract with same conditions and rent.
When an issue occurs in the property, especially if you are responsible, you will have to contact the owner. Reparations and the replacement of some items might take some days so be patient. However, do not forget you are entitled to get these changes.
Read this article to know more about the topic: What expenses correspond to owners and tenants when they rent?
When we have the full management of a property, you could rely on us to help you sort out any damage, change names for utility bills and be a link with the owner. We work as intermediaries with the owners and we arrange what has to be fixed in their behalf.
Willing to become a home owner?
Your situation of being a tenant can be temporary. Ask yourselves these questions:
- Do I want to remain flexible or do I finally want to settle down?
- Am I going to move away soon or am I planning to stay for a long time (10,20 or 30 years)?
- Do I want to take the risk to pay for a possible increasing rent when the contract ends or do I prefer a stable mortgage?
If you ever thought about buying a property in Barcelona, this article may be useful for you: A guide to buy a property in Barcelona
Once you make up your mind do not hesitate to visit our website and maybe find your new home in Barcelona.
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