Walking blind in a sea of scams when renting a flat in Spain
The usual advice for renting a flat in Spain without getting scammed, what nobody tells you, and how to really reduce the risk.
I followed every tip for not getting scammed when renting a flat in Spain. They worked. And I still ended up living for a year in a flat that looked nothing like the photos.
But let's start at the beginning. I started out just like you: looking for a guide on how to land a good flat in Spain (an excellent, gorgeous one, while we're at it). I pictured myself with a tinto de verano and the air conditioning on in August, or a glass of cava with the heating on in the middle of January.
I planned everything, like anyone moving to a new country: the paperwork to get there, a suitcase for all four seasons and the sums for what I'd spend on jamón serrano, olive oil and, of course, housing. Along the way I found the usual tips for renting a flat on Idealista without getting scammed in the process. Here they are:
The usual advice (and what they don't tell you)
Make sure nothing looks suspicious when it's time to pay
Be wary of pressure (“I've got three other people interested, if you don't pay the deposit today it goes to someone else”), of being asked to pay before seeing the flat or signing the contract, of an account in someone else's name or in another country, and of excuses for not showing it to you (“I'm travelling, I'll courier you the keys”).
Even so, knowing the obvious doesn't protect you from the unexpected. You can check everything and the so-called landlord, after receiving a two-month deposit and an emoji of transactional empathy 🙂, can still mysteriously go quiet.
And you tell yourself they must be busy, they have a life, it's outside working hours… or maybe it isn't, and they're dealing with other “customers”. Meanwhile, you wait. And wait…
If you book on Booking, check the score: make sure it's above 8 out of 10
Hey cousin, I need a favour.
What is it this time?
Book this flat for me on Booking and pay for it. I'll pay you back and you leave me a little eleven-out-of-ten review, OK? 😉
A good reputation doesn't always match the real quality of the service. In fact, inflating reviews is one of scammers' favourite ways to hook people with a property that has a flawless score.
Watch out for phishing
Phishing? It's a digital scam in which someone pretends to be a company or a person you trust. It can slip into any conversation you have with the landlord, by email or on WhatsApp; they can even hack the landlord's phone and message you from their own number. In plain words: you pay the deposit and your bank confirms the transfer. A minute later, the “landlord” (who is actually the scammer) messages you with a screenshot saying the transaction was declined, and asks you, pretty please 🙏, to make it again so you don't lose the flat.
payment_declined.pngHi 👋 I'm writing because the transfer was declined. Could you send it again, please? 🙏 That way I'll hold the flat for you.
Why would you be suspicious? They're writing from the same number (or the same email) you've been talking to for days, and they promise your first payment will be refunded. We all know banks take a few hours to process refunds; this time will be no exception… or will it?
Compare prices
This is the classic: the most used and the most effective. Forget the old saying “never look a gift horse in the mouth” when you're looking for a flat. A typical example: “Flat for rent in Barcelona, 100 m², with balcony, jacuzzi and direct views of the Sagrada Família, for 500 euros”.
Believe me, your mouth (and your wallet) waters when you see the gleaming white bathrooms and the texture of the sheets in the photos and videos. And plenty of people fall for it, wanting the best in exchange for very little.
You can always compare prices between Idealista and other listing sites, but you'll still wonder whether it's a fair market price: because it's suspiciously low, or because, even if the flat exists, you end up realising you paid too much for what you got. And by then there's no turning back to cancel the contract.
So how did my story end?
Not with a happy ending. The good news is that I found a flat in Spain, and neither the scammer nor the hacker got a cent. Proud of having made it through the scam filter, I arrived in Spain happy… though not for long: I'd soon find out that the deal I'd made with the landlord wasn't fair.
Here's what I found when I arrived:
- The entrance. The façade and the common areas were under renovation, with cement dust and paint everywhere. The landlord had never mentioned any of this and none of it appeared in the photos: what Spaniards call “vicios ocultos”, hidden defects.
- The flat. It looked nothing like the photos: darker, smaller than it seemed and not as clean.
- The alarm clock. To top it all off, it was right next to the rubbish collection point. Every morning at six I was woken by the glass-recycling truck, with bottles crashing into each other without mercy.
In the end I lived in that flat for a year, as the contract required, knowing I could have had something better.
If I had seen it with my own eyes, I would have signed with much more peace of mind.
Keep readingWorking in Spain on a student visa: The 30-hour rule and transition to residencyWhy it's so easy to get caught out in Spain
After this experience, there's something you should know: housing in Spain is a market with little supply and huge demand. That creates enormous pressure to close a rental as fast as possible and, in the rush, people cut short the time they spend checking that the flat exists, what condition it's in and what terms the contract offers.
How to really reduce the risk
So what's your best move in a scenario where everything seems to be against you? The good news is that there are always ways to reduce the risks effectively and considerably. Here they are:
- Verify the landlord's identityMake sure the person renting you the flat is who they say they are.
- Ask for the property's official documentsThe papers that prove the flat exists and is what's advertised.
- Review the contract before signingTo spot abusive clauses and check that it complies with rental law.
- Visit the flat in personNot just to confirm it exists, but to see what condition it's in.
Three ways to rent a flat in Spain: two blind and one clear
Given all this, when you try to move from abroad, you actually always face three possible paths:
- BlindRent online, blindWithout checking that the flat exists or what it's really like. If it's a scam, you lose at least the deposit: around €1,900 in Madrid and €1,600 in Barcelona for an 80 m² flat (idealista, September 2026).
- BlindJust turn up, also blindTravelling over and urgently renting something temporary while you search. Two weeks in a hotel cost around €2,400 in Madrid and €2,500 in Barcelona (INE); a whole Airbnb, €2,600 and €3,700. Goodbye, budget: with Landesp you arrive with your flat already seen.
- ClearPlay it safe with LandespHire a relocation company to be your eyes in Spain: it checks that the property exists, its real condition and the legality of the rental contract.
