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Budget for the security deposit — normally one or two months — the first month's rent, and the cost of the screening or the rental guarantee policy. Some owners also ask for a month in advance. Before you place the holding deposit we tell you the exact figure for that specific case, so nothing surprises you on signing day.

The usual: government ID, proof of income, proof of address and a payment guarantee. Most owners ask that your monthly income be at least three times the rent. The guarantee can be a co-signer, a deposit or a rental guarantee policy.

A co-signer (aval) is a person who answers with their own assets if the tenant doesn't pay, and usually needs to own property in the same city. A rental guarantee policy (póliza jurídica) replaces the co-signer: a company screens the tenant and provides legal backing if they default. The policy is faster and doesn't force the tenant to find a relative who owns a home — which is where most rentals fall apart.

It depends on what you signed. Many leases include an early termination penalty or require a certain amount of notice; others say nothing, and then it has to be negotiated. If you know your stay may be short, say so before signing and ask for an exit clause: agreeing on one is far easier than arguing about it later.

The general rule: the owner covers anything structural and anything that wears out through normal use — plumbing and wiring, waterproofing, the water heater, damp — and the tenant covers day-to-day upkeep and anything they damage themselves. The line between the two gets argued over often, so it's worth having the lease define it and the handover inventory document the condition of everything. Report faults in writing as soon as they appear: a leak reported in time is the owner's problem, one ignored for months becomes an argument.

Normally one or two months' rent. The owner holds it for the length of the lease and returns it at the end, minus any damage. Documenting the condition of the property with photos at handover and at move-out avoids nearly every dispute.

Whatever your lease says. The usual arrangement is an annual review with an increase agreed from the start, often tied to the year's inflation. If it wasn't put in writing, the adjustment has to be negotiated at renewal and the tenant can refuse. That's why it's worth fixing the formula at signing: it saves the awkward conversation every year and protects you from the rent falling behind the market.

If you took out a rental guarantee policy, this is where it earns its keep: the provider handles collections and the legal process, within whatever coverage you contracted. Without a policy, the route is an eviction suit at your own expense, which takes time and money. In both cases it helps to have a well-drafted lease, documented payments and the utilities up to date. Worth saying plainly: the policy doesn't stop someone from defaulting, but it completely changes what you can do about it.

Yes. Rental income is subject to income tax (ISR) and must be declared. You can calculate it by deducting your documented actual expenses — property tax, maintenance, mortgage interest, insurance — or by taking the optional deduction, known as the deducción ciega, which subtracts a fixed percentage of the income plus property tax with no receipts required. Which suits you depends on how many invoiced expenses you have. Two more things: if you rent to a company, part of the income tax is withheld at source; and if you rent furnished, the VAT treatment differs from an unfurnished home. None of this is complicated, but do it with an accountant from month one — fixing it later costs far more.