How to rent your apartment safely

We summarize 7 keys that should be taken into account, both owners and tenants, when renting an apartment (and thus avoid any kind of misunderstanding):

1. The landlord must ensure that the property is delivered in perfect conditions of habitability and cleanliness, if he wants the tenant to respond appropriately. It is important to check the condition of the property and prove that it meets the necessary requirements to rent it. You can consult this other article, if you want to know how to prepare a perfect visit to your apartment.

2. Drawing up a good contract is key to renting an apartment safely. This contract should specify everything that is considered most relevant (it is recommended to contact the help of a professional to make sure it is done correctly). Some of the basic aspects that are usually specified in a good contract are, among other things: 

• The inventory of the furniture in the house. It is recommended to make an inventory, if it can be accompanied by pictures, where everything that is in the property is reflected, from furniture to appliances (in case the tenant can use them during the time he resides in the apartment). In this way, if at the end of the contract there is damage to the furniture, the owner will be able to claim for it.

• The amount of the deposit. Currently, the security of the lease resides in the economic guarantees such as, for example, asking for several months of deposit or a bank guarantee. 

• The term of the lease. In leases, especially long-term leases, the tenant must deposit a monthly security deposit. Apart from the deposit, the law also allows any type of guarantee of the fulfillment of the payment obligations to be established, additionally, at the time of signing the contract. This amount is fixed between the landlord and the tenant.

• If necessary, prohibition clauses can also be included in the contract, such as, for example, a prohibition on subletting (the tenant cannot rent the dwelling to a third party) or a prohibition on pets in the dwelling (these prohibitions depend on the landlord’s requirements). 

If you want to know in more detail what are the costs to be borne by the owner, click here. 

3. Complying with current regulations. The law, which in this case is the Urban Leasing Law (LAU), is clear with regard to payment terms. Deadlines such as the fulfilment of the contract, the time for the tenant to pay the rent, as well as the minimum lease term. In the event that the regulations are not complied with, the landlord may take action.

4. Renting through official agencies. Many autonomous communities offer a public service for the professional management of leases. This service acts as an intermediary between landlords and tenants and, in turn, provides guarantees. On the one hand, in exchange for a cheaper price for the property, the owner ensures that it is well looked after and, on the other hand, the tenant benefits from a lower cost and also has the peace of mind of the presence of a public body in the event of a problem arising.

5. Direct contact via email. One of the direct ways to resolve any problems is to facilitate communications between the two parties. This can be done by facilitating that the lease agreement is included in a contact email. In this way, the documents will always be available and will be a clear proof of the agreement. 

6. Make a careful selection of the tenant. It is important to know who is going to be living in our property in order to avoid headaches and worries. In order to check their payment capacity and labour stability, we can ask for their paycheck and work contract. We can also look at their history and find out if they have had any previous payment incidents. Knowing the tenant’s personal and economic data will allow us to anticipate problems and reject the tenant in time, if necessary.

7. What to do in case of non-payment. All the issues discussed above are tips to prevent this from happening. However, the best thing to do is to get a service that guarantees the collection of the rent and with which we can avoid this type of problems and stay calm.

The ideal is to try to reach an agreement to terminate the contract or to continue. If this does not work, we can opt for a judicial alternative, which involves an eviction. This lawsuit, once notified in court, gives the tenant 10 days to pay the rent or leave the property. 

Undoubtedly, and knowing some keys on how to sell an apartment safely, some risks can be avoided. We recommend taking the necessary time to do so, and above all, and as a landlord, that you comply with the regulations, keep the property in good condition and treat the tenant with respect. 

If you need help in Espígul we offer it! In two weeks, we will rent your property quickly and safely. For more information, contact us.