Renting a home in Mallorca long term
When you find a long-term rental in Mallorca, check who can legally let it, what you’ll pay up front and whether the contract reflects how you will actually use the home. A main-home tenancy and a genuine seasonal rental can have different rules.
Before you transfer money
View the property where possible, verify the owner or agent’s authority and ask for the proposed contract and a breakdown of every payment. If a reservation payment is requested, get its purpose, refund conditions and recipient in writing. Confirm which bills, community charges and services are included.
Read the agreement before you sign
For an ordinary main-home tenancy under Spain’s Urban Leases Act, check the duration, how renewal works, how rent can be updated, notice requirements and responsibility for repairs. Where the statutory minimum extension rules apply, the period is generally five years with an individual landlord or seven with a corporate landlord, subject to exceptions and the applicable contract regime.
The law generally requires one month’s rent as the statutory deposit for a main-home tenancy. Additional guarantees are a separate question. The law places real estate management and contract formalisation costs on the landlord for main-home rentals. If a charge is described differently, ask what it is for and get advice before paying.
Moving in and moving out
Keep a dated inventory, photos of existing damage, meter readings and proof of payments. Agree who is responsible for transferring or setting up utilities. When leaving, give written notice as required, record the condition of the home and get written confirmation of the date you hand back the keys. Ask for a breakdown if the landlord proposes a deduction.
Ask the landlord for proof that the statutory deposit has been lodged with IBAVI. Keep this with the signed contract and payment receipts.
Useful vocabulary in English, Spanish and Catalan
| English | Spanish | Catalan |
|---|---|---|
| Landlord | arrendador | arrendador |
| Tenant | arrendatario | arrendatari |
| Tenancy agreement | contrato de arrendamiento | contracte d’arrendament |
| Statutory deposit | fianza | fiança |
| Main home | vivienda habitual | habitatge habitual |
| Inventory | inventario | inventari |
Frequently asked questions
Does an 11-month contract automatically make it seasonal?
The stated duration alone does not settle the issue. Ask what genuine temporary purpose the agreement records and get advice if the property will be your main home.
Who pays the agency’s tenancy set-up fees?
For ordinary main-home rentals, the Urban Leases Act assigns agency management and contract formalisation costs to the landlord.
How much is the statutory deposit?
For an ordinary main-home tenancy it is generally one month’s rent. Ask separately about any additional guarantee and applicable limits.
Listen to the Majorca Mallorca Podcast
Official information
- Spain’s Urban Leases Act, including articles 9, 20 and 36
- IBAVI guidance on depositing rental deposits
Related guides
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