Many people rent out apartments in Barcelona, and it’s becoming more and more common for people to opt for this option of renting rather than buying when they move to a new city. This is likely because of a variety of barriers that make it insurmountable for people to buy property, such as requirements by banks to access a property as a homeowner.
From alternatives such as renting long-term (more than two years), touristic or short-term rentals (for a matter of days or weeks) to temporary rentals (from a matter of weeks to 12 months), there are a number of options for renting an apartment in Barcelona.
Related article: Preparing Your Apartment for Rental
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Many people know the process for renting an apartment, but some don’t know what steps to follow for leaving said apartment when the lease is up, or even earlier. That’s why today in this article from ShBarcelona, we’ll be talking about what you have to do in order to leave a rental apartment.
When you sign a contract for a rental, there will be certain conditions depending on what type of rental you need. For example, touristic rentals, which are in high demand in Barcelona, have a duration lasting from a matter of days to a matter of weeks, stipulated previously in the contract.
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Normally, there is a certain portion of money that needs to be paid at the beginning of the stay and then another sum paid at the end, and in this case you simply leave the apartment in the condition required by the contract, return the keys and can be on your way.
In the case of temporary rentals the process is usually similar, and when you finish your stay you can leave the apartment or sign a new contract to lengthen your stay.
The same thing happens with long-term rentals, although in these cases it is common for the contract to continually be extended until the tenant decides to leave. This is when doubt can tend to arise.
Related article: What are the requirements of landlords and renters in a rental contract?
When a tenant decides to leave a rental apartment, they should first consult the landlord in advance with a date that they plan to end their lease (generally also stipulated in the contract).
If you decide to vacate your apartment before the finalization of the contract it’s possible that there will be a penalty, although it’s common to indicate this previously in the contract.
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Once you have notified the landlord or agency that you’ll be leaving the apartment, you should pay the last month’s rent (or proportional part of the cost set in the contract) and wait for the landlord or agency to return the deposit if everything is in order in the apartment.
If there are imperfections or modifications that need to be financed in order to fix, it’s possible that you will not be returned the full sum of the deposit.
Photo via Pixabay
For this reason it is incredibly important to leave the apartment in the best possible condition and to always ask the landlord or agency first if you want to make interior changes in the apartment, such as hanging frames, changing any existing furniture, making repairs or painting and fixing walls or furniture.
The deposit is basically a form of insurance that the landlord can use to designate financial resources towards any necessary repairs for damages caused by the tenant during the rental period.
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If the apartment did not originally come furnished, the tenant should leave it completely empty and void of anything not previously there once they leave. Once you have completed the move, you should return the keys to the landlord or agency responsible for the apartment.
If you have any doubts or questions related to the vacating process of an apartment or you think “I want to rent an apartment“, you can get in contact with ShBarcelona.
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Hi there! You know what? You're absolutely right when you reminded us to leave an apartment as properly as possible. My son has been searching for a suitable place to live downtown starting next year. I'll forward this article to him so he'll make the right procedure in the long run later.