Here we explain what you should know before signing a contract:
1- If the house has been rented during the last five years, as a general rule the new rent cannot exceed that of the previous tenant. Here we explain how can you get this information.
2- In addition, if the landlord owns 5 housing units or more, the price of the new contract must be below that established by the reference index. To find out if the landlors has 5 dwellings or more, it is necessary to go to the Land Registry (Registro de la Propiedad). We can start with the registry of the municipality where the apartment we want to rent is located. With the full name and NIF of the landlord, you can request an “Index Service” (Servei d’Índex), which will list the Property Registries where the owner has properties. Finally, we will have to go to each registry and ask for a “simple note” (nota simple) of each property. You can consult a guide here.
3- If the property has not been rented at any time in the previous 5 years, the maximum price cannot surpass that established by the reference index (the highest value is the maximum). You can consult the index here.
4- If the owner has carried out major renovations in the apartment in the last two years, accessibility works or improvements that generate energy savings of 30%, then the rent may be increased up to 10%. It can also be increased when the duration of the contract is 10 years or more or if “prórrogas obligatorias” are agreed upon.
5- The landlord and the real estate agency are obliged to state the price paid by the previous tenants in the rental contract, indicating the date and the amount. Here we explain how to find out the price of the previous rent.
6- The only annual rent increase that can be applied is the one corresponding to the Consumer Price Index (IPC, in Spanish and Catalan). However, this increase can never exceed 3%, even if the IPC is higher (at least during the year 2024).
