Tenant letters in Spain: notice, deposit and repairs

Quick answer

The tenancy law (LAU) protects the lease of your main home (vivienda habitual). To leave, either give notice of non-renewal before the contract or a yearly extension ends, usually 30 days ahead during the first five years (seven with a company landlord), or withdraw early (desistimiento) after six months with 30 days’ notice. The deposit (fianza) is one month’s rent and earns legal interest if not returned within a month of the keys. The landlord must do necessary repairs: report them in writing. As of 18 October 2026, a decree-law has changed several of these rules and still needs validation by Congress.

This guide covers tenants of a main home in Spain writing to a private landlord. It gives the general state rules as of 18 October 2026; Catalonia and other regions with their own civil or housing law may add requirements. It is general information, not legal advice. For an unpaid deposit at court, see payment demands in Spain; for internet and other contracts at the property, see cancelling a contract in Spain; to complain about a company, see consumer complaints in Spain.

Check which rules apply to your lease

The Ley 29/1994, de 24 de noviembre, de Arrendamientos Urbanos (LAU) applies its tenant protections to a lease whose main purpose is your permanent home; terms that worsen your position are void unless the law allows them (art. 6 LAU). A contract keeps the rules in force when it was signed: leases from 6 March 2019 follow the current text, those from 6 June 2013 to 5 March 2019 a three-year minimum (five or seven years for leases signed under Real Decreto-ley 21/2018, from 19 December 2018 to late January 2019), and older ones a five-year minimum with one month’s notice. A seasonal lease (contrato de temporada) signed before 8 October 2026 is not a main-home lease and keeps its agreed end date without these protections, so check what your contract says.

Two decree-laws of 6 October 2026 are changing the LAU. Real Decreto-ley 29/2026 has applied since 8 October 2026 and rewrote, among others, art. 11 (compensation on leaving early), art. 21.5 (repairs) and art. 36.7 (end-of-lease record). Real Decreto-ley 28/2026 would rewrite art. 10 (extensions) from 15 November 2026. A decree-law lapses if Congress does not validate it within 30 days of its promulgation, and the earlier text then applies again; on 18 October 2026 neither had been validated. Before relying on a rule this guide marks as new, check the current consolidated text of the LAU on the BOE (Spain’s official gazette).

Give notice that you are leaving

Non-renewal. During the minimum term of five years (seven if the landlord is a company), the lease extends year by year unless you say, at least 30 days before the contract or yearly extension ends, that you do not want to renew (art. 9.1 LAU). As of 18 October 2026, you must give two months’ notice at the end of the minimum term; otherwise the lease extends year by year for up to three more years, and you can leave at the end of any of those years with one month’s notice (art. 10.1 LAU). If Real Decreto-ley 28/2026 is validated, from 15 November 2026 the lease would instead extend for successive five-year (or seven-year) periods, still with two months’ notice for you, and leaving early would mean desistimiento. Leases already in the three-year extension would finish it under the old text.

Desistimiento. You can end the lease early once it has run for at least six months, giving at least 30 days’ notice (art. 11.1 LAU). As of 18 October 2026, art. 11.3 LAU says this gives the landlord no right to compensation. Before 8 October 2026, a contract could require one month’s rent for each year left, prorated, and the law does not say whether such older clauses still bind. Check your contract and the law in force on the date you leave. The law is also unclear on whether you may send notice before the sixth month, so choose a leaving date after both the six months and the 30 days.

The law requires no particular form and does not say whether sending or receipt counts, so make sure your notice arrives in time; weekends and holidays are not excluded (art. 5 Código Civil). Email counts only if the contract names an address for notices and the sending, receipt and content can be proved (art. 4.6 LAU). Every tenant should sign. If your spouse, or a partner who has lived with you for two years, stays on without consenting, the lease may continue for them (art. 12 LAU), so have them co-sign.

Asunto: Comunicación de fin del contrato de arrendamiento — [dirección de la vivienda]

Estimado/a Sr./Sra. [apellidos del arrendador]:

[Nombre y apellidos], con [DNI/NIE/pasaporte] n.º [número], arrendatario/a de la vivienda situada en [dirección de la vivienda] en virtud del contrato de arrendamiento firmado el [fecha del contrato], le comunico [mi voluntad de no renovar el contrato a su vencimiento el [fecha de vencimiento], conforme al artículo [9.1 / 10.1] de la Ley 29/1994, de 24 de noviembre, de Arrendamientos Urbanos / que desisto del contrato con efectos el [fecha], conforme al artículo 11 de la Ley 29/1994, de 24 de noviembre, de Arrendamientos Urbanos, fecha en la que habrán transcurrido más de seis meses desde el inicio del contrato y más de treinta días desde la recepción de esta comunicación].

Le propongo revisar juntos la vivienda y entregarle las llaves el [fecha y hora propuestas], dejar constancia por escrito del estado de la vivienda y de las lecturas de los contadores, y firmar ambos el documento correspondiente.

Le ruego que, una vez entregadas las llaves, me devuelva la fianza de [importe] euros [y la garantía adicional de [importe] euros] mediante transferencia a la cuenta [IBAN], a nombre de [titular de la cuenta]. A partir de esa fecha, mi dirección para comunicaciones será [nueva dirección postal y correo electrónico].

Atentamente, [Nombre y apellidos de todos los arrendatarios] [Firmas] [Si procede: Conforme, [nombre y apellidos del cónyuge o pareja que convive en la vivienda], [firma]]

Get your fianza back

The fianza is a money deposit (en metálico) of one month’s rent (art. 36.1 LAU). If the balance is not returned within one month of handing back the keys, it earns legal interest (art. 36.4 LAU): 3.25% in 2026. Many regions make the landlord lodge the fianza with a public body, but your claim is always against the landlord. Do not use the fianza as your last month’s rent unless the landlord agrees in writing: unpaid rent lets the landlord end the lease and claim it.

You must return the home as you received it, apart from wear from time or unavoidable causes (art. 1561 CC); without a record of its condition at the start, you are presumed to have received it in good condition (art. 1562 CC), and you answer for damage unless you prove it happened without your fault (art. 1563 CC). Small repairs caused by ordinary use are yours (art. 21.4 LAU). As of 18 October 2026, art. 36.7 LAU requires a signed end-of-lease record (documento de finalización del arrendamiento); without one, or if it lists no damage, the home is presumed returned in good condition. Whether this applies to older contracts is unsettled, so sign a record anyway, with photos, meter readings and a dated receipt for the keys.

If the landlord does not pay, a claim for the fianza prescribes in five years (art. 1964.2 CC). Before a monitorio (court payment order), you must invite the landlord to negotiate (MASC, LO 1/2025), so the example below is also written as that invitation and gives 30 calendar days. The monitorio needs no lawyer for the petition and is filed at the landlord’s domicile; see payment demands in Spain.

Asunto: Devolución de la fianza — [dirección de la vivienda]

Estimado/a Sr./Sra. [apellidos del arrendador]:

El contrato de arrendamiento de la vivienda situada en [dirección de la vivienda], firmado el [fecha del contrato], finalizó el [fecha de finalización], y el [fecha de entrega de las llaves] le entregué las llaves, como consta en [documento de entrega, recibo de llaves u otra prueba], que adjunto.

Le solicito que me devuelva la fianza de [importe] euros mediante transferencia a la cuenta [IBAN], a nombre de [titular de la cuenta]. Conforme al artículo 36.4 de la Ley 29/1994, de 24 de noviembre, de Arrendamientos Urbanos, el saldo no restituido devenga el interés legal una vez transcurrido un mes desde la entrega de las llaves.

Si considera que debe retener alguna cantidad por desperfectos que excedan del desgaste por el uso ordinario, le ruego que me indique por escrito cada concepto y su importe, con las facturas o presupuestos correspondientes.

Este escrito constituye también una invitación a negociar sobre la devolución de la fianza, a efectos de los artículos 5 y 10 de la Ley Orgánica 1/2025, de 2 de enero. Le ruego que me pague o me responda en el plazo de treinta días naturales desde su recepción; en caso contrario, podré acudir a los tribunales.

Atentamente, [Nombre y apellidos] [Firma]

Ask for a repair

The landlord must carry out, without raising the rent, all repairs needed to keep the home habitable, unless you or your household caused the damage (art. 21.1 LAU). Tell the landlord as soon as possible and allow an inspection. After notifying the landlord, you may carry out urgent repairs to prevent imminent damage or serious discomfort and claim the cost at once (art. 21.3 LAU). If works last more than 20 days, the rent drops in proportion to the part of the home you cannot use (art. 21.2 LAU). If the landlord does not repair, you may end the lease (art. 27.3 LAU) or ask a court to order the work. In an emergency, such as a gas smell, call the emergency services first.

As of 18 October 2026, art. 21.5 LAU adds a written procedure for damage affecting habitability, safety or health: you send the request with a reasonable quote, the landlord has 15 calendar days from receipt to accept it, propose another repair or do the work, and if it does not answer or refuses without good reason, you may do the work and deduct the documented cost from future rent. If Real Decreto-ley 29/2026 lapses, that right to deduct disappears. Before deducting anything, check that art. 21.5 is still in the LAU on the BOE, and keep the bracketed paragraph only if it is.

Asunto: Solicitud de reparación — [dirección de la vivienda]

Estimado/a Sr./Sra. [apellidos del arrendador]:

Como arrendatario/a de la vivienda situada en [dirección de la vivienda], le comunico que el [fecha] detecté el siguiente problema: [descripción del daño y de la estancia afectada], que afecta a [la habitabilidad, la seguridad o la salubridad de la vivienda / su uso normal]. Adjunto [fotografías u otros documentos].

Conforme al artículo 21.1 de la Ley 29/1994, de 24 de noviembre, de Arrendamientos Urbanos, le solicito que realice la reparación necesaria para conservar la vivienda en condiciones de habitabilidad. Para que usted o su técnico puedan examinarla, estoy disponible [días y horas] en el teléfono [número].

[Solo si el artículo 21.5 de la Ley 29/1994 sigue vigente en la fecha de envío: Adjunto un presupuesto de [empresa] por importe de [importe] euros. Conforme a dicho artículo, dispone de quince días naturales desde la recepción de este requerimiento para aceptarlo, proponer otra reparación o realizar la obra. Si no responde o se niega sin causa justificada, podré ejecutar las obras necesarias y descontar su importe, debidamente justificado, de las rentas futuras.]

Le ruego que me confirme por escrito la fecha prevista de la reparación.

Atentamente, [Nombre y apellidos] [Firma]

Send your letters and keep evidence

Upload your final PDF or write the letter in MaisonMail, and add photos or documents as PDFs in the send flow. Send it to the address for notices in the contract (a efectos de notificaciones), and to the agency too if one manages the lease. The recipient address determines the destination; available services, estimated delivery and the final price appear before payment. Keep a copy of every letter and attachment.

No LAU article requires a burofax or registered post for a tenant’s notice. Tracking shows that an item arrived, not what it contained, which is enough for a first repair request, a deposit request or a notice sent well ahead. Correos itself says a registered letter (carta certificada) does not certify content, while a burofax certifies sending, delivery and content. For a notice close to its deadline, an art. 21.5 request and the last deposit letter before court, send a burofax with certificación de contenido and acuse de recibo in Spain: a standard or tracked letter is not a burofax.