How to get the marriage registration letter from the FCO/British Embassy for EEA Visa

What is it and why do I need it?
That is a good question. Basically, the UK doesn’t register marriages that took place abroad in the General Registry, so your marriage exists, and is recognised by the UK, but your details are not stored in a database. This gets the Spanish Embassy’s knickers in a twist because they want proof of the marriage being registered in the country of the EU citizen.
This DOESN’T exist. There is no way to register a foreign marriage in the UK. Even if you deposit your marriage certificate with the FCO (Foreign and Commonwealth Office), this is NOT a registration of your marriage. It just means that if you need a copy of your marriage certificate, you can buy one from them. This service also stopped on 1st January 2014.
The UK recognises any marriage which took place legally under the local law of that country.

How do I get one?
I currently live in Spain, and my first port of call was the British Embassy in Madrid, naturally. They told me it wasn’t possible to email or issue a letter of this kind. I then rang the British Embassy in London. They told me the same thing. I then rang the British Embassy in Algiers. They said the same thing. After spending 50€ in calls, I was told that a letter like this wasn’t possible. I was told by the Embassy in Madrid that I had to apply for a “recognition of a foreign marriage” certificate, to the tune of 254€…! BUT, this document is “required” when you apply for residency in Spain and BOTH of you have to present yourself at the Embassy/Consulate to make a declaration and show your original passports. So, it was a catch 22; he couldn’t come to Spain without this document, yet he couldn’t apply for the document without being in Spain. I was desperate to say the least.

I complained to SOLVIT and asked Your Europe Advice what to do. I am still waiting on SOLVIT’s reply (up to 10 weeks). So, I complained to the British Embassy in London under the Freedom of Information Act. I got a reply stating that I had emailed the wrong department. I then sent a message saying that as a British National it is my RIGHT to have this letter and that them not issuing it was in breach of my rights. They then forwarded this to a really nice guy called Terry at the FCO who emailed me two letters and said he would get in touch with the Embassy in Algiers about them issuing a letter. At this point the Embassy in Madrid had got back to me and told me my husband could go to Algiers to get the letter stamped in a few days’ time. Hurray!!

So, going back to the question, the answer is complain and send lots of emails. You’re looking for the Notarial Services department of the British Embassy, wherever you are. If that doesn’t work, do what I did and email them stating the Freedom of Information Act.

What does it look like?
The official wording is as follows:
Marriage in the UK is governed by separate and different legislation in England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. None of the Register Offices in England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland issue certificates of marital status. Marriage of British nationals abroad is governed by “the Marriage with Foreigners Act 1906 (as amended), and from 3 June 2014 by “the Consular Marriages and Marriages under Foreign Law Order 2014”.
Only a UK court of law can determine whether a particular marriage is valid under UK law. It is not possible to register in the UK a marriage celebrated in a foreign country. Generally speaking however, if a ceremony is considered valid in the country where the ceremony was performed; both parties to the marriage had the capacity to marry under the law of the country of domicile; and both parties of the marriage consented to marry the other, then the marriage is likely to be recognised in the UK.

The Spanish translation of this is:
Los matrimonios se rigen en el Reino Unido por una legislación distinta y separada en Inglaterra y Gales, Escocia e Irlanda del Norte. Ninguna de las oficinas del Registro Civil en Inglaterra y Gales, Escocia e Irlanda del Norte expide certificados del estado civil. El matrimonio de ciudadanos británicos en el extranjero se rige por “la ley del matrónimo con extranjeros de 1906 (enmendada)”, y a partir del 3 de junio de 2014 por “la ley de matrimonios consulados y matrimonios bajo la ley extranjera de 2014”.
Solo un juzgado del Reino Unido puede determinar si un matrimonio particular es válido bajo la ley del Reino Unido. No es posible registrar un matrimonio en el Reino Unido que haya tenido lugar en un país extranjero. Sin embargo, hablando en términos generales, si un matrimonio se considera válido en el país en el cual tuvo lugar; las dos partes del matrimonio han tenido la capacidad de casarse bajo la ley del país de domicilio; y las dos partes del matrimonio consintieron en casarse con la otra parte, es probable que se reconociera el matrimonio en el Reino Unido.

As long as those words are on the letter somewhere, you will be fine and the Spanish Embassy SHOULD accept it.
Standard letter: English and Spanish.

Terry from the FCO also addressed a letter to me: English and Spanish.
And he sent me the letter issued to people who had deposited a marriage certificate after the closure of the service: English and Spanish.

I found a letter from the Honorary Consulate on one of the Facebook groups as well: English and Spanish.

The letter the British Embassy in Algiers issued me is as follows (different wording and official stamp): English and Spanish.

How much does this letter cost?
The letter issued by the Consulate in Algiers was free, although when booking an appointment through their Clickbook Register, the service does say it will cost money. So I would say take money with you, but argue that it should be free.

Anything else?
You are more than welcome to use my documents and translations, but be aware that an original letter, legalised with the stamp, will be needed to be accepted by the Spanish Embassy. If the British Embassy/Consulate don’t know what letter you mean, then please send them one of mine.
The Spanish translations are not official but are accurate and correct, so the Spanish Embassy will have no problem in reading them to understand the English documents.

Useful contacts
Legalisation and apostille service: Foreign & Commonwealth Office, PO Box 6255, Milton Keynes MK10 1XX.
Email: legalisationenquiries@fco.gov.uk
Enquiries: 03700 00 22 44 between 12:00 to 16:00 Monday to Friday.
(If you need to use British documents for business or personal matters abroad.)

Freedom of Information requests: FOI and DPA Team, Information Management Department, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Room K4.10 – K4.13, King Charles Street, London SW1A 2AH
Email: foi-dpa.imd@fco.gov.uk
FOI/DPA enquiries: 020 7008 0123

British Embassy in Madrid

How to open a bank account in Spain

What types of account are there?
There are two main types that interest us: Resident and non-resident. Then there are the usual current (cuenta corriente) or savings account (cuenta de ahorros). Whether you are given a resident or non-resident bank account will determine how much tax you pay on your account. Capital gains tax will be taken if you open an account as a non-resident of Spain. The current account is used for your direct debits (domiciliaciones bancarias).

People working in Spain can apply for the payslip account (cuenta nómina) so your employer can pay your salary via the account. Those accounts would be less restrictive in terms of withdrawals and would offer savings in credit card costs and transactions.

What documents do I need to open an account?
If you are opening a non-resident account, you need:

• To show that you are a non-resident. To obtain this, go to the main police office and ask for a certificate of non-residency. This procedure has to be done in person as there is no pre-filled form or online procedure. After 10 days, go to the police station to collect the signed certificate. 
  Every two years, the bank has the duty to re-confirm non-residency status. This means a similar form will be required every two years and you will need to obtain a new certificate from the police or give permission for the bank to carry out action on your behalf.
• Passport and a copy

If you want to open a resident account, you have to prove that you are a resident so you will need:

• Original passport and a copy
• N.I.E. and a copy; and/or certificate of residence and a copy
• Proof of occupation/employment status: employment contract/payslip, letter from accountant/lawyer, pension or disability payment confirmation, student card
• Proof of address in Spain: rental agreement, utility bills (issued within the last three months)

Accounts should be opened there and then and there is no minimum deposit/first payment required to open an account.

What types of banks are there?
Banks are separated into bancos and cajas. Cajas are regional banks which are linked to other regional cajas. Spain has about 50 bancos and 120 cajas. Cajas are state-owned and bancos and privately owned.

The advantages of a caja is that there will be more branches available where you live than there are bancos. They are also generally more geared towards the people and have a more “village/town” feel, i.e. more friendly and treat you like a human rather than a number.

The top 4 bancos for the last fiscal year are: Santander, BBVA, Banesto and Banco popular.
The top 2 cajas for the last fisical year are: Caixa Catalunya and Caja Madrid.

What things should I take into consideration?
Money in Spain isn’t centralised, so you will be charged commission for taking out your money in another bank, or a lower commission if you take the money out of a different bank within the same group, i.e. EURO 6000 or 4B (Telebanco).

Some banks are still using Maestro cards and don’t issue Visas, so it might make online banking difficult if Maestros aren’t accepted. Although, Visas are still the most popular type of card issued in Spain.

You can take out 500-600€/day from the cash machine in most banks. This might seem like an advantage, or it might not.

Cheque books are no longer issued automatically in most banks, and you will need to ask for one if you need one. Most businesses don’t accept cheques for fear of them bouncing, and some small shops still don ‘t have PIN machines, so carry some cash on you at all times.

If you are paid with a cheque, make sure that the following information is included:

• The amount, following Spanish numbering conventions (the . and , are in the opposite places compared to the UK standard). The # character may be used before and after the amount to prevent it from being altered (it’s not obligatory)
• Cross the cheque. Note: by default, most Spanish cheques are not crossed when they are printed, meaning they can be exchanged for cash by the holder of the cheque. This means that if the cheque is lost, it can be cashed by anyone that finds it. For security, cross the cheque with two lines
• The date the cheque was issued or can be cashed
• Their signature (note that their name isn’t printed below as on a Uk cheque)
• You will also need to sign the back of the cheque yourself and write your passport number. This is to verify that the cheque is for your account when you come to pay it in (ingresar).

You might have a Santander account in the UK, but that doesn’t mean you can transfer or use money from that account in Spain for free. Santander in the UK is ringfenced, meaning that if anything goes wrong in Spain, your money in the UK is protected. If you wanted to have the same bank in both countries, you would still have to pay commission to transfer money like with any other bank. HSBC is the only bank to really link accounts between countries without paying extra charges.

So, which bank should I choose?
Check out this list of banks by region. If you think you won’t be leaving your region a lot, then I would choose a caja instead of a banco, just to avoid paying commission for drawing out money.

Most of the bancos and some of the cajas will have English speaking staff.

How much does it cost to open an account?
I know what you’re thinking… you have to pay to open an account? Spain’s banking system is a far cry from the UK. A typical Spanish account (providing it’s not for a student or similar promotion) will charge you for: maintenance of the account, maintenance of your card, if your balance falls below a certain point, and in some cases, for card transaction over a certain quantity.

Opening an account can be expensive. When I opened mine two years ago I didn’t pay as I was under 26 and it was free, but now I’m incurring “adult” charges. Santander, at the time, were charging 30€ for opening a student account, so I went with Unicaja as I didn’t have to pay charges for the first two years. It’s worth checking out the fine print before signing up to an account. It also might be worth paying to open an account if that bank is the closest to you, or has lots of branches where you live instead of opening a free account only to have hassle trying to find a branch.

When do banks open?
Traditional bank opening hours have always been:
Monday-Friday: 9am-2pm
Saturday: 9am-1pm

However, you’d be hard-pushed to find a bank open on Saturday morning since the crisis has kicked in. You might find that some banks open for an hour or two after the siesta to allow working people to do their banking, but it really depends on the bank you choose.

Almost all banks offer online banking without you having to request for it and you will be given a password.

What do I need to make an international transfer? 
Essentially, an IBAN (International Bank Account Number) Numbering Standard.
The bank account number will also “convert” to the IBAN standard. IBAN is the globally recognised standard adopted by almost all financial institutions in the world. The number format is as follows (example):

• ES66 – 1234 – 0123 – 1201 – 2345 – 6789

The first two digits of the IBAN correspond to the country where the account is held: ES = Spain. The next two digits are calculated internally, based on a pre-determined formula and using the digits that actually comprise the account number. The remaining digits are the bank account number details, separated into “blocks” of four.
This information is usually printed on bank statements. If not, these details are available from the branch, Internet or telephone. Check this list for more information.

Useful phone numbers
For lost or stolen cards: A lost or stolen cash card must be reported to the bank as soon as possible, or phone the appropriate number:
Red 6000 – Tel: 915 965 335
Servired – Tel: 902 192 100 or 915 192 100
Telebanco 4B – Tel: 902 144 400 or 913 192 100

Credit cards:
American Express – 915 720 303 or 902 375 637
Mastercard – 900 971 231
Diners Club – 915 474 000 or 917 015 900
Visa – 900 991 124

How to get Social Security and be Self Employed in Spain

What is social security?
It’s essentially like National Insurance in the UK. Once you start paying in, you are entitled to a pension, healthcare and sickness benefit.

What documents do I need to get a number?
If you’re an EU citizen you need:

• Your N.I.E. and a copy
• Your passport and a copy
• A completed application form

Is it really as simple as that?
Yes, compared to the other documents you need for your life in Spain, this has been the easiest by a mile. Again, try not to go to the capital of the province if you can help it to avoid queueing, but really, that’s it!

To look for your nearest office click here.

 

Now the big one… Self Employment

What is the definition of self-employed?
In Spain, there are two types: sole traders (empresarios individuales) and independent professionals (profesionales autonomos). Knowing which one you are (or want to be registered as) will determine your advanced income tax (retención). Some professional activities (e.g. education) are VAT (IVA) exempt, so it is important to indicate such when registering.

You also have to give a detailed description of the work you will do. Here’s a list of codes in English.

What do I need to become self-employed (dar de alta)?

• A completed application form
• Your social security number certificate
• Bank account details (or recent statement)
• It also doesn’t hurt to have your passport and N.I.E. and a copy as well, just in case

If you’re from outside the EU you will need a work permit or residence card as well.

How much will it cost?
Spain is famous for its high taxes… If you work with a contract, your employer has to pay 40% of your salary in tax for you, so most small businesses (especially academies) ask you to go as self-employed as you don’t pay as much as they would.

There is an offer at the moment for first time self-employed people. The full price is 261,83€/month but if you are new to it, check out this offer:

First 6 months – 80% reduction and you pay 53,07€/month
Next 6 months – 50% reduction and you pay 130,91€/month
Next 6 months – 30% reduction and you pay 183,28/month (this last reduction is open for 12 months, an extra six months, to people under 30 or women under 35)

What is a “rentención”?
If a profesional autónomo invoices a business for their services then that business must retain 21% of the invoice value to pay to the Agencia Tributaria as advance income tax on behalf of the autónomo. Note that trading autónomos (empresarios individuales) don’t have retentions. Also, if the autónomo is invoicing a private customer (not a company or an autónomo) then no retention is applicable (for example, private classes). The retention rate is reduced to 9% for autónomos in their first three calendar years. You get this back when you fill in your quarterly or yearly tax return.

What about invoicing?
The basic requirements for an invoice are: supplier and client clearly identified, their full name and tax number (NIF/NIE/CIF), date and address. The service or product you are selling, the base amount of the sale, the applicable taxes (IRPF and IVA) and any discounts or other deductions should be included as well. Generally speaking a freelance professional invoicing to a company registered in Spain will be required to include withholding tax (retención) in their invoice which is a tax deduction taken from the base amount of the sale which your client pays to the tax authority on your behalf. This tax is then deducted from your tax bill when filing your quarterly tax form.

Here’s an example of a simple invoice (factura):

What about expenses?
As a rule of thumb, any expenses necessarily incurred whilst carrying out your professional activity can be considered deductible for tax purposes. It’s important to have the necessary justification by holding onto your expense invoices (receipts alone are not enough). There are a couple of specific aspects that you should also bear in mind: 1) in general food, hotel and travel expenses are not deductible unless they are incurred outside of the community you are registered in. Depending on the activity, food expenses incurred can sometimes be included when they have been for the purpose of entertaining clients. 2) Home office: some freelance professionals register a home office which can allow them to deduct a certain percentage of their household bills (normally 30%). This would include rent, electricity, phone, water, gas etc.

How to I de-register (dar de baja)? 
It works in the same way as registering, only in reverse. You fill out the same forms as you have before, but put an end date as to when you want to deregister. Simples! Remember to deregister from your tax payments first, and then social security (RETA). When you have deregistered, your healthcare benefits should still be valid for the subsequent three months.

Is there anything else to take into consideration?
In order to apply for your partner’s residency (the non-EU) you need to be “dado en alta” throughout the process “tramite”. This means that you need to be paying social security from before you apply for their residency up until the point they get the card. You will also need to pay it for the duration of your time in Spain to comply with the centre of life for the UK. It’s worth considering that for the centre of life it’s harder to prove how much you’ve been working if you are self-employed. They like to see 12-15 hours/week so if you can invoice for this, amazing.
The benefits of having a contracted job is that you are entitled to sick pay and holidays, and have a fixed amount of money coming in every month. Being self-employed is more risky, but if you’re looking for a quick fix, then this could be an advantage for you.
Once you have taken advantage of the monthly reductions and then leave Spain or stop paying as you find a job with a contract, you cannot benefit from the same reductions if you need to become self-employed again. That is to say, once you start, you enjoy the reductions but if you stop and start, you go straight back in at 261,83€/month. This is to entice people into paying for longer periods of time so be sure that when you want to stop, it’s for good.
Before registering with Hacienda you should download your digital certificate here which gives you a tax number with which you can do all of your paperwork online. You have to download some free software to read the certificate, but it can be printed normally.

How to get your empadronamiento in Spain

What it is?
Essentially it’s a municipal register or census record, similar to the electoral roll. It’s also known as Padrón Municipal de Habitantes and is required for people who plan to reside in Spain for more than six months in a year. Your details are then put onto the Padrón.

The look of them vary from region to region, but here’s a typical example:

What is it needed for?

• To register a child at a school
• To apply for residency (residencia)
• To get married
• To buy or sell a car
• Sometimes to apply for the N.I.E. (I got mine without having an empadronamiento)
• To apply for a local health insurance card
• To vote

How do I get one?
In some towns, an application can be made online. In the majority of cases you have to present yourself at your local town hall (ayuntamiento) and go to the Oficina de Pádron to fill in the documents required.

What documents are required?

• A completed application form (available from the office)
• Original passport and a copy
• N.I.E. and a copy (if you already have it)
• Proof of address: rental agreement, utility bill

If you’re not on the rental agreement (i.e. sharing a flat with a friend) then you will also need:

• A completed Autorización de Empadronamiento (example) – it means that the person who is on the rental contract also has to be on the Padrón Municipal. You would either need them to go with you, or get them to fill out the form to take with you.
• A copy of their D.N.I. (identity card) with a line or two saying they authorise you to act on their behalf. They might also need to explain that you’re staying with them as well.

How long will it take?
A volante de empadronamiento will be issued which is a temporary version until you are able to pick up the actual certificate. Some places charge a small fee for the temporary empadronamiento. This process usually takes a week.

Are there any other things to take into consideration?
Some places will come round to the property to check you are living there. This didn’t happen with me, but it did for my Spanish flatmate.

Most places require an empadronamiento to have been issued within the last three months to be valid. You can also request a separate document which states the date from which you enrolled yourself (empadronarse) onto the Padrón. These are usually issued for free.

If you have expired identification (i.e. passport or visa) you are still required to register.

If you move house within the community you have to notify them at the town hall so that they can update their register.

If and when you leave you have to notify them with a date of departure as they usually go to the house to check you aren’t there.

What are the benefits of having one?
The town hall receives extra funding for healthcare, cleaning and maintenance when you are enrolled. The municipality also knows how many people are living in the area.
This document verifies your presence in Spain as you are now an official member of the community.

How long does it last?
Non-EU nationals who don’t hold permanent residency must renew every two years. EU citizens should renew every 5 years (as do Spanish nationals).

 

 

How to get your N.I.E. in Spain

What is it?

The N.I.E. (número de identidad extranjero) is a magical piece of paper which holds the key to getting every other document you need for your life in Spain. It is the equivalent of your National Insurance number and the Spanish D.N.I. (identity card) number rolled into one.  This number is the absolute basic that you need, whether EU or not, in order to live here.

It comes as a little card-sized piece of paper like this:

Why do I need it?

It is needed to:

• Open a bank account
• Pay taxes
• Be paid for employment
• Apply for a social security number and/or being self-employed
• Register with local services: empadronamiento from the town hall and get assigned to a doctor
• Even simple things like picking up a letter/parcel from the post office…

Where do I get one?
You need to go to your local national police station (comisaría), which tend to be in the capital cities of the province and some in other main towns or cities in the region. Click here to search for your nearest one. If you can avoid the capital of the province, do so as they tend to have lots of people waiting and not be very quick. Remember that they are only open 9am-2pm, so factor-in getting there at around 8.30am or before as people tend to start queueing at the big ones at 7am.

What do I need to get one?

• You need to fill in the EX15 form in Spanish – some offices ask for a carbon copy (Costa Blanca) so you will need the form (impreso) beforehand
• You need to pay for the application (tasa) which looks like this – you normally cannot fill it in beforehand as it comes as a carbon copy with three pages (one for you, one for them and one for the bank) and has to be stamped by the bank. For help to fill it out (in Spanish and English) click here
• Original passport and a copy (take two to be on the safe side)
• Two passport photographs (I didn’t need them, but to be on the safe side it is better to take them)

For help in English look here (San Francisco website but it’s the same form for everyone).

How long will it take?
Some places will issue it on the spot (Madrid, for example), but most will issue you with an appointment to come back to pick it up at a later date. The maximum is within three weeks, though most turn it around in under a week.

Do you have any tips?
If you can take more than one person along, do so. At the big comisarías you might need to queue more than once, so have some wait in the queue whilst you go inside to be seen if you want to try and get the application through in the same day.

Make sure you pay the exact tasa… This electronic form says 9,36€ for Barcelona but I paid 10,50€ in Málaga, so check before you go as if they give you the wrong amount, you will have to go back to the bank again to pay the money that’s owed before the application can be taken any further. It has been known to happen on more than one occasion. I was given my residence certificate straight away (which has my N.I.E. on it), so that might be why it was slightly more expensive.

If they can issue you your residence certificate (certificado de registro de ciudadano de la Unión) at the same time, all the better. They usually ask for evidence of your employment, so if you haven’t got this yet, just get your N.I.E. and go back another day for the residence certificate. More information can be found here. And this is what it looks like:

Have you had any bad experiences?
Personally speaking, getting my N.I.E. from Málaga’s extranjería is something that has been ingrained on my mind. I arrived at 8.20am (it opens at 9am) and I was already number 30 in the queue. People are very protective of where they are in the queue and there was more than one argument about who was in front of who. After 2 hours of queueing I was seen. There are no seats, no water machines and no toilets in the Málaga one, so be prepared to stand for ages and take water with you, especially in summer as it isn’t air conditioned. When I was seen I thankfully had all of the required documents, but be prepared for them to say something is missing… they are not very friendly there, but they are used to having people trying to fob them off or lying about their application, and they’ve just taken a pay-cut, so don’t expect too much courtesy from them either.
Once I showed them my documents, the lady filled out a form to say how much I have to pay (tasa) and I left the building, left the even bigger queue that had now formed to pay the tasa at the bank around the back (they don’t deal with cash). This is where it’s a two man job. If you can leave a friend in the queue outside, you can come back and not have to wait as long when you leave to pay at the bank. Málaga doesn’t let you hold a place for someone else once you are inside the building. Make sure that the amount you pay is exactly the right amount else you will have to go back again. Usually if you are in the queue at 2pm and haven’t been seen, they give you an appointment for 9am the next day, but their mindset is “y mañana más” (and more tomorrow).

How to find a flat in Spain

What do I need to look out for?

The Spanish typically focus on the size of the property, so when looking for a property to rent, you’ll see how big the place is in square metres. The size is usually reflected in the price, and some estate agents price a property solely on how many square metres it is.

As you won’t be sticking around for long, look for a furnished property (amueblado), but always check with who is renting it to find out what exactly they include in their furnished property. It has been known for the odd bed or kitchen to not be included…

You can request an energy rating certificate which will tell you if a property will be expensive to heat in the winter, and as you might expect, newer properties usually have a better energy rating.

The advantage of having a private landlord is that you don’t lose one month’s rent as fees as you would with an estate agent (inmobiliaria). They are also usually more approachable and as it’s their property, they tend to care more about repairs. The advantage of going to an estate agent (inmobiliaria) is that most of them can talk you through everything in English, or find someone who can. If you have Spanish friends, take them along with you, just so that there are no language barriers and the chances are, they know the laws and what to expect better than the average Joe.

What will a potential landlord/estate agent ask me for?
This often varies but generally speaking you should be prepared to give:

• Passport and NIE (ID number: número de identidad extranjero)
• Evidence of employment – so that they know you will be able to pay
• Social security number (National Insurance number equivalent)
• Personal references – if renting from a private landlord it’s best to have them in Spanish

What are the terms of the contract from an estate agent (inmobiliaria) or a private landlord?
Contracts are usually for 12 months, but you should check whether a 6 month contract is available, or whether you would be able to give notice without incurring problems with a month’s notice.
Always check that a private landlord is licensed as this will save extra problems if a big repair is needed.
An estate agent (inmobiliaria) might ask for 3 months’ rent at the beginning of the contract. These three months are: first month’s rent, one month as a deposit (fianza) and the third as estate agent fees (that you won’t be paid back).
A private landlord should only typically ask for two months’ rent and these would be: the first month’s rent, and one month as a deposit (fianza).
Rent is usually paid at the beginning of the month, not at the end like in the UK, so be aware of that if you can’t make the second month’s rent due to your wages not being paid at the right time.
A landlord or estate agent might ask for a bank guarantee (aval bancario) which means that if you fail to pay the rent, they can apply to your bank for the funds.

What to look for in a contract:

• Whether you, the tenant, have to carry out minor repairs, or not
• Whether communal rates (comunidad) are included or have to be paid annually or monthly
• Whether local charges, such as rubbish collection (recogida de basura) are included or have to be paid separately
• Whether water (agua) is already paid in the communal charges
• Whether the lease is a short-term contract (contrato de arrendamiento de temporada/contract de arrendamiento a corto plazo), or a long-term contract (contrato de arrendamiento a largo plazo) and how much notice you have to give before leaving

Usually if a property is a second home, your communal fees and (and typically water) will already be paid and you just pay for your electricty (luz) consumption. This might also mean that you will required to leave in June as they want to spend the summer there. This could be brilliant for you as it means you won’t be locked into a long-term contract, but depending on when you arrive or want to leave, you might find problems.
In touristy areas, you might encounter July and August’s rent to be considerably higher. This reflects the high demand for holiday homes, so be aware of looking at a property which seems reasonably priced, or even cheap, as this might apply.

How much would an average flat cost?
The price of a flat really does depend on the city, the area, the communal amenities and the size of the property. To give you an idea, in the South it is quite easy to find a flat for 300€ in the city centre and will typically have two bedrooms or more. In Madrid, you’d be hard pushed to find a flat for that price, but you might find a small one-bed flat outside of the city centre. I would budget for 400€ rent and 150€ for your personal use (electricity, water and Internet). It’s best to be on the safe side.

Some typical fees which may or may not be included in your monthly rent:

• Communal fees (comunidad): pretty much every house and flat in Spain has to pay it and it covers the maintenance of communal areas such as gardens, car parks, lifts and swimming pools. A typical monthly fee might be around 60€, but if there is a swimming pool and/or a lift, expect this to be around the 110€ mark, even out of the summer season. Essentially, the more amenities your communal areas have, the more you have to pay
• Water (agua): it costs around 18€ if you don’t you use any water at all; the first cubic metre of water costs X and then the next 10 cost X and so on. You can expect water to cost 20€ per person/month to give you a rough idea. A far cry from what we pay in the UK!
• Electricity (luz): without turning on a lightbulb, it costs around 40€/month, but you can expect to pay around 50€/month for two people, providing you don’t leave everything turned on 24 hours a day!
• Rubbish collection (recogida de basura): as you won’t be paying the equivalent council tax, Spain pays this separately, and it costs around 80€/year
• Telephone and Internet (teléfono fijo e Internet): this varies from company to company, and assuming you don’t want satellite channels, Jazztel offers 20mb speed, unlimited download with all Spanish landline calls for 43€/month
• Land Value Tax (I.B.I. – Impuesto sobre Bienes Inmuebles): This covers things like highway maintenance, drainage and sewage. This should be paid by the landlord themselves, but if it appears in your contract, make sure you’re not paying more than 350€/year

Where do I look?
idealista, EasyPiso, enalquiler, fotocasa, pisocompartido, segundamano, tucasa and milanuncios. For estate agents (inmobiliarias) type your area into Google to search for local agencies. You will probably get a better response from them if you go and talk face-to-face, but it doesn’t hurt to send an email before you arrive in Spain to test the waters. Also try groups on Facebook, and student accommodation (which sometimes work out cheaper) – just make sure you get an official contract.

Other points to consider:
Spanish law is pro-tenant, and due to the economic crisis, more Spaniards are renting instead of buying.
If for some reason you can’t pay the rent, eviction is a long process due to the courts acting slowly.
Landlords should always ask permission before coming around, it counts as trespassing if not. They are within their rights to ask to see the property, or spring a 24-hour notice surprise visit to see that you haven’t trashed the place.
Have your landlord’s phone number or whatsapp at hand in case you encounter any problems.

What things should I do before I leave?

• When leaving the property, always clean up and thoroughly… even the skirting boards if you want to make sure you get your deposit (fianza) back. Normally the owner would expect you to pay for a professional cleaner, but if you do it thoroughly there shouldn’t be any problems
• Repair anything minor and check the inventory (inventario) for the items they expect you to leave and you don’t take by accident. This should be part of your rental agreement
• You might be asked to show potential new tenants around the flat before going, or be ready for a viewing to take place. Personally, I’d prefer to show someone around myself and know none of my things were being touched than have my landlord do it. If they don’t want you to do it, you are perfectly within your rights to be present at a viewing
• Keep your bank account open in order for your deposit (fianza) to be returned, unless they are very nice and offer to pay in cash. You can always use a friend’s account if you really want to close you account and make a quick exist, and ask them to transfer you the money – if all parties are agreeable
• Get your post redirected (reexpedir) to a friend or a new address before you leave
• Make sure you let the town hall (ayuntamiento) know if you change address or leave a property, and also update your identity number (N.I.E.) and registration with the town hall (empadronamiento)
• And most importantly, remember to give back the keys!!