Categories: Moving in

How Can You Rent an Apartment With Pets?

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This might be hard to believe, but sometimes it can be quite difficult to find an apartment with your pet.

Many of us enjoy spending time with our pet, and experts say living with pets actually benefits humans psychologically. Besides these positives, we love the energy and loyalty that comes with owning one or more pets. They are part of the family.

When looking for a place to rent in Barcelona, you might encounter some problems, because not all landlords accept pets in the apartment.

Although it is true that more and more property owners have become more flexible when it concerns pets, many still do not prefer renting their property out to someone who is bringing a cat or dog with him. But why is that anyway?

A landlord’s biggest concern is damage to the apartment or furniture. This could happen to all of us, because our pets love to play around, and sometimes they have to spend hours alone when we are at work.

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Check out apartments that welcome pets

Table of Contents

Pets in rental apartments: What does the law say?

If you decide to rent an apartment and take your pet with you, you should first of all be aware of the legal aspects of renting a place that allows pets.

In the case of rental properties, rules and regulations can be found in the Spanish LAU (Ley de Arrendamientos Urbanos). The law doesn’t say anything about pets not being allowed inside rental properties in Barcelona. So this means both parties, both the landlord and tenant, must agree on what details should be included in the rental contract about pets.

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Owner’s and tenant’s rights and obligations

As with every law, there are rights and obligations to be aware of when looking for an apartment that accepts pets. Let’s check out what the options and consequences are:

	Rights	Obligations
Property owner	When specified in rental agreement, pets may be prohibit from the rental apartment.	Clearly state that pets are not allowed inside the apartment in the rental contract.
	The rental contract may be terminated if conditions are not met.	If there is no specific clause on keeping pets in the contract, you must respect that a tenant may live there with his pet.
	If the pet has a negative impact on the apartment or third parties, you have the right to ask the tenant to leave the apartment and/or repair damages.	You must inform the tenant of every aspect and consequence of having pets in the rental property.
Tenant	If there are no specific clauses in the rental contract, the law allows you to live in the rental property with your pet.	You must repair damages inside the apartment or with third parties, if they have been caused by your pet.
Tenant	You can take out insurance to cover damages caused by your pet, although you are not obliged to do so.	If a clause in your contract does require this type of insurance, you are obliged to take out a policy.

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📌 If you have a dog that is in Spanish called a PPP (Perro Potencialmente Peligroso – a potentially dangerous dog breed) you must take out civil liability insurance for possible damages to third parties, as mentioned in Law 50/1999.

Related article: The first dog beach in Barcelona!

Another law (Ley de Propiedad Horizontal), even though it does take the property owner’s association into account, also doesn’t prohibit pets from being present in rental apartment buildings.

You must, however, respect communal spaces inside the building, and you are not allowed to do any activities with your pet that may cause damages, disturb the atmosphere or could pose any danger to the property or the building’s other inhabitants.

As the pet’s owner you must comply with all the regulations, have your pet vaccinated regularly and register your pet by ID chip.

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How to rent a property if you live with a pet?

The easiest way is to search for rentals that are already known to accept pets. You can always ask for a Barcelona based real estate agency to assist you with your search, as this will work quicker and easier, and an apartment that also welcomes your pet can then be found without having to talk to or negotiate with the property owner.

If you would rather start looking for apartments in Barcelona yourself, just remember the following tips:

Consider taking out a home and pet insurance. Being able to present a copy of the policy might just persuade your landlord to agree with keeping your pet inside the apartment.
When you are still negotiating, indicate your willingness to hire a professional cleaning company to leave the apartment in the state it was in when you moved in. This could be a convincing argument for the property owner.
Now even more often than before, you see pet owners with a pet passport that includes: the pet’s name and age, whether the pet is spayed or neutered, health and vaccination information and even a couple of photos. Your regular vet can help you with a professional description of your pet.
Former landlords or neighbours can also play a huge role by writing a reference on your pet’s behaviour from the time you lived there. Real life experience and feedback can make all the difference!

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It’s all about taking away any questions or doubts about agreeing to let your pet access the property, and not causing any threat to the apartment or any neighours.

Check out ShBarcelona’s portfolio with rentals in Barcelona that welcome pets. Our website is always up to date, so you can check out availability straight away. Do not hesitate in any way if you have questions about these rental properties. We will be happy to be of service!

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