You’ve found a flat you can afford, it’s close to work, and then the agent says the contract is for 11 months. Before you start working out where you’ll live in month twelve, ask one question: what makes your stay temporary? The answer matters if you need somewhere to live in Mallorca year-round.

What makes an 11-month contract seasonal?

Under Spain’s updated Urban Leases Act, a temporary residential let is for someone who is away from their usual home for a genuine, provable reason. Think of someone coming to Mallorca on a fixed-term hotel assignment who will go home when the job ends. The contract must spell out the reason for the temporary stay, and the landlord must be able to substantiate it. Where the agreement lacks a properly stated temporary reason, the law provides for main-home tenancy rules to apply from the date the contract was signed.

A new temporary residential contract must run for more than 31 days and generally lasts no more than 12 months. A justified reason that continues beyond that point can affect the permitted duration. If you moved here for an ongoing job and this will be your usual home, tell the agent that in writing and ask for a contract that reflects how you’ll live there.

What if I’m renting a room?

A room can be your main home or temporary accommodation, depending on why you’re staying. The decree also limits what can be charged across simultaneous room contracts in the same property by reference to the rent for letting the whole home under a single contract. Ask for a written breakdown of your rent and bills, which shared spaces you can use, and how notice works.

What should I ask before I pay a deposit?

• What reason for a temporary stay will the contract give, and does it describe my circumstances?
• What is the end date, and what happens if my work or study placement is extended?
• Who owns the property or has authority to let it, and who receives the payment?
• How much is the rent, the statutory deposit and any additional guarantee? Which bills are included?
• If the agent asks for a fee, what is it for? Ask for a breakdown in writing. The updated law bars passing on property management and contract formalisation charges to tenants covered by those rules.

Read the agreement before paying a reservation fee, and keep the advert and messages in case the terms change. See our guide to renting long term in Mallorca for more on checking who can let the property and documenting what you pay. For annual rent increases and extensions, see what Spain’s housing decree means if you rent in Mallorca.

What if I already signed a seasonal lease?

Seasonal contracts signed before 8 October 2026 have transitional rules. They generally continue under the previous regime for their agreed term. A renewed temporary let comes under the updated rules. If your landlord has offered another 11 months or you’re being asked to leave, get advice with the signed contract and any renewal messages in front of you.

Official source

See Royal Decree-Law 29/2026 for the changes to the Urban Leases Act, including Article 3 of the decree and the transitional provision for older seasonal contracts.

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