Renting a home

Documents to prepare

• Draft or signed contract with all annexes and amendments; mark start date, use, occupants and each signatory's role.
• A separate record of rent, statutory deposit, other guarantees and charges, with dated receipts; redact bank details in working copies.
• Room-by-room inventory, dated photos, existing defects, keys and meter readings for a joint handover record.
• Landlord/agent contact and evidence of authority to let the home; questions about energy and occupancy documents for this property.

Steps in order

1. 1Identify the actual rental use, contract date and region before applying a checklist.
2. 2Confirm the owner's or agent's authority and inspect the property before committing money.
3. 3Review the draft: duration, notice, renewal, rent updates, repairs, pets, permitted occupants and charges. Record unanswered clauses for a housing adviser.
4. 4Separate the deposit from additional guarantees and fees; ask which regional deposit procedure applies and who provides the receipt.
5. 5Agree the condition record, keys and readings; keep signed copies and evidence of any reported defects.
6. 6Arrange utilities and municipal registration separately; signing a rental contract does not complete those procedures.
7. 7Keep a dated correspondence log and arrange a documented exit inspection when leaving.

After submitting

• Check the first rent receipt and supplier bills against the agreement.
• At exit, retain the key-return record and request an itemized deposit settlement with supporting evidence.
• Keep unresolved disputes and notice deadlines for a qualified adviser; do not assume the deposit pays the last rent.

Useful question in Spanish

Quisiera revisar la documentación de este alquiler. ¿Podrían confirmar el uso previsto, los gastos, las garantías, el inventario y el procedimiento de entrega de llaves y liquidación de la fianza?