Politics · Spain · 3 hrs ago
Spanish tenants may deduct repair costs from rent after notice to landlords
A new Spanish rule lets tenants arrange repairs and deduct the cost from rent if their landlord does not respond in time.
Under Spain’s rental law, landlords generally pay for repairs needed to keep a home habitable, while tenants cover minor wear-and-tear repairs and damage caused by negligence.
Tenants must first notify the landlord in writing and provide a cost estimate.
For ordinary rentals, the landlord has 15 working days to respond by accepting the estimate, proposing another repair or doing the work.
If there is no response, the tenant can arrange the work and subtract its reasonable cost from the rent.
The rule also covers problems affecting a home’s habitability, safety or sanitation, and tenants should keep receipts.
For seasonal rentals, landlords have five working days to respond; if they do not, tenants can carry out necessary repairs and claim the cost immediately.
Spanish tenants may carry out certain repairs and deduct the cost from rent if the landlord does not respond to a written notice within 15 working days.
Tenants must send the landlord a written request that includes a cost estimate before arranging the work.
The landlord can approve the estimate, propose an alternative repair or carry out the work directly.
The rule also covers repairs affecting a home’s habitability, safety or sanitation, and tenants should keep receipts.
For seasonal rentals, landlords have up to five working days to respond.
- Who
- Tenants and landlords in Spain.
- What
- Tenants may arrange certain repairs and deduct the cost from rent if the landlord does not respond within the specified period.
- When
- Under a new measure described in an article published on October 13, 2026. The landlord has 15 working days to respond, or five working days for seasonal rentals.
- Where
- Spain.
- Why
- The measure sets out a process for tenants to address repairs, including problems affecting habitability, safety or sanitation.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The tenant must notify the landlord in writing and include an estimate.
The landlord can approve the estimate, propose an alternative repair or carry out the work.
The tenant may arrange the work and deduct the cost from rent.
- Landlord response deadline
- 15 working days
- Seasonal rental response deadline
- 5 working days
- Notice requirement
- Written request with a cost estimate
- Relevant legislation
- Royal Decree-law 29/2026
- Existing law cited
- Article 21 of the Urban Leases Act
What people are saying
With this new law, what we are going to do is deduct repairs
Sources
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