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RENTING

‘Disgusting’: Can estate agencies in Spain charge you to see a rental property?

The Spanish rental market has seen severe price rises in the post-pandemic period, making life increasingly difficult for prospective renters. Now some estate agents are charging just to view properties.

Published: 29 August 2024 09:46 CEST
'Disgusting': Can estate agencies in Spain charge you to see a rental property?
Photo: Anastasia Shuraeva/Pexels.

A Spanish estate agent has caused outrage online and among renters by charging €10 simply to view a rental property.

For many this is further evidence of the worsening rental situation in Spain and comes as the market has grown increasingly saturated in the post-pandemic period, with average prices in Spanish cities skyrocketing in recent years.

A Real Estate Index from property website Fotocasa recently found that rents in Spain have almost doubled on average in just 10 years. In several cities the price increase has been over 100 percent.

READ ALSO: When’s the best time of the year to start renting in Spain?

Unsurprisingly much of the criticism has been directed towards landlords but now it seems Spanish estate agents are also trying to cash in.

The pay-to-view advert was first posted on popular Spanish property portal Idealista for a 65m2 attic flat in the town of Santa Coloma de Gramanet in Catalonia, close to Badalona. 

The offer had all the usual information that rental adverts do (price, pictures, location, transport connections, which floor it was on) but Grup Capital estate agents also included a line stating that each viewing would cost €9.90. 

Owing to the outrage it generated online, the advert has since been taken down but social media users managed to grab screenshots of the offer clearly stating se cobra la visita 9.90€ (€9.90 charged per visit). One post highlighting the tactic has been viewed over 333,000 times.

Twitter/X users didn’t hold back in their criticism of the advert, with one user stating that “I hope no one falls for this scam.” 

“It’s like being charged entry to go and buy bread,” joked one. “This is disgusting and surely illegal,” added another.

The legality of pay-to-view adverts is unclear. A provincial court in the southern city of Cádiz ruled recently that estate agents cannot charge for viewings for potential property sales, but there does not appear to be a clear national ruling on the issue or anything specific on rental properties yet.

Spain’s Housing Law reforms tried to pass fees and administrative costs onto landlords, but landlords and estate agents alike have both exploited legal loopholes to try and get around these costs.

One notable way landlords have done this is to find ways to get around rental price caps outlined in the government’s flagship housing legislation.

Spain’s Housing Law, which was passed back in 2023, was a wide-ranging bill that not only shifted agency fees onto landlords, created price indexes and established ‘stressed’ rental zones, but also ‘capped’ annual rent increases. Critics argue the law has made the rental market worse despite being designed with tenants in mind.

For many renters spending more and more of their monthly salary on rent, the viewing fees controversy speaks not only to the worsening market but the ineffectiveness of government legislation in doing anything about it.

Despite the outrage and questionable legality of charging for flat viewings, it’s nothing new in Spain. In October 2023 Spanish daily El Diario reported that prospective renters were also being charged viewing fees to see properties in Madrid.

READ ALSO: Has Spain’s Housing Law completely failed to control rents?

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PROPERTY

REVEALED: The coastal towns in Spain where property prices have spiked

If you’re thinking of buying a property in Spain that's on or near the coast, it’s worth noting where prices have increased the most in 2024.

Published: 28 August 2024 10:42 CEST
Updated: 31 August 2024 08:05 CEST
REVEALED: The coastal towns in Spain where property prices have spiked

According to a report by Spanish real estate appraisal company Tinsa, for the second quarter of 2024, the increase in the average value of new and second-hand housing in Spain stands at 0.5 percent quarterly, compared to the 0.1 percent recorded in the previous quarter.

In the report, Tinsa has revealed the list of main municipalities with a relevant residential market where property prices have increased the most.

The rise in prices for homes on or near the coast isn’t spread evenly throughout the country. In fact, most of the cities and towns in the top 10 spots are in the Valencia region and Andalusia.

Orihuela

The town of Orihuela in Valencia’s Costa Blanca region takes top spot, having seen its property prices rise by a huge 12.5 percent in the last year. The value of a property in Orihuela is €1,572 per square metre. This is 12 percent higher than in Alicante city and 23 percent more than the average for Alicante province. While the town itself isn’t on the coast, the municipality is. In fact, the Orihuela Costa has a total of 17km of coastline and boats over 300 days of sunshine, going someway to explain why it’s so popular.

Vélez-Málaga

Vélez-Málaga, an area which is filled with charming white villages, comes in second spot. Property prices here are €1,865 per square metre having spiked by 10.7 percent in the last year. Again, the town of Vélez-Málaga is located slightly inland, but it’s just a 15-minute drive to Torre del Mar and Caleta de Vélez right on the coast.

Marbella

Málaga province’s flashy resort town of Marbella really needs no introduction and is famed throughout Europe, loved for its swanky Puerto Banús Marina, happening clubs, luxury hotels and charming whitewashed Old Town. A perennial favourite for property buyers, it’s no surprise that Marbella comes in at number three on the list. Property prices here are €2,899 per square metre and they have increased by 10.6 percent year-on-year.

La Línea de la Concepción

La Línea de la Concepción is the border town right next to Gibraltar and is in fact where many people who work in Gibraltar live, due to its lower prices. Unfortunately, it may not stay that way for much longer as it comes in fourth place. Prices are €1,361 per metre squared and they have risen by 9.4 percent since this time last year.

San Fernando

San Fernando is located just across the Bay of Cádiz from the capital of the province. It comes in joint fifth place along with Gandía in Valencia with a 9.4 percent increase in property price in the last year. A home now costs an average of €1,536 per metre squared. The town is surrounded by nature and water, yet has plenty of facilities and historic attractions, which add to its charm.

Gandía

Also registering a 9.4 percent price increase, the town of Gandía sits on the Costa de Valencia, south of the capital of the same name. The town is popular for its five kilometres of beaches and lots of services. Properties are 9.4 percent more expensive than a year ago.

Chiclana de la Frontera

Close to San Fernando and near the Bay of Cádiz, Chiclana has been a favourite with foreign buyers for years. Prices here have increased by 9.2 percent within the last year. Its proximity to the Bay of Cádiz Natural Park, the historic city of Cádiz and the beaches of the Costa de la Luz, makes it a popular choice. Properties here now cost an average of €1,937 per metre squared.

Vigo

This north-western Galician city is one of three destinations in the top 10 list which aren’t in the Valencia Community or Andalusia. The gateway to the Atlantic Islands National Park and the Cíes Islands, Vigo is becoming a popular option for home buyers. Prices here have climbed up by 8.9 percent in the last year and on average a home here costs €1,787 per metre squared.

San Cristóbal de La Laguna 

In ninth place on the list and the second place outside Valencia and Andalusia is San Cristóbal de La Laguna, located on the Canary Island of Tenerife. Properties here have gone up by a total of 8.9 percent year-on-year. Located in the north of the island near the capital of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, La Laguna municipality encompasses some of Tenerife’s northern beaches and dense laurel forests. Properties here cost €1,446 per metre squared.

Benidorm

In joint 10th place are famed beach resort of Benidorm, Torrelavega and Sagunto where prices has risen by 7.4 percent. High rise apartments, a cute old town, a lively nightlife and great beaches mean that it’s not just loved by holidaymakers, but foreign residents too, driving the prices up significantly. A property here now costs an average of €1,848 per metre squared.

Torrelavega

Torrelavega is situated in the region of Cantabria in the north of Spain, not far from the city of Santander. Properties here cost an average of €1,163 per metre squared. While it is slightly inland, it’s just a 20-minute drive to the beaches on the Cantabrian Sea.

Sagunto

Sagunto is the third town in joint 10th spot where prices also increased by 7.4 percent. Situated in the region of Valencia on the Costa de Azahar, property prices have risen a lot due to its close proximity to Valencia city.

READ ALSO: Which foreigners are most likely to have mortgages approved in Spain? 

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