How to check the landlord before you pay

No check is foolproof, but a few of them rule out almost every scam.

1. View the property in person

This is the check that rules out the most scams. If you cannot go, send someone you trust. A video call is not enough: the person on the call may be in a flat that is not theirs, such as a holiday let rented for a few days.

2. Get the «nota simple»

The nota simple from Spain's Land Registry (Registro de la Propiedad) says who owns the property. You can order it online from the Registradores de España website with the flat's address. It costs about €10 and usually arrives by email within a few hours.

• Compare the owner's name with the advertiser's and with whoever will sign the contract.
• If someone else is renting it out (a relative, a tenant subletting), ask why and ask for the owner's written permission.

3. Ask who holds the bank account

The account you pay into should be in the name of the owner or of the agency signing the contract. An account abroad, or in someone else's name, is a bad sign.

4. Search the photos

Search the listing's photos with Google Lens or Google's image search. If they appear in another listing at another price, in another city or on a holiday-rental site, be wary.

5. If it is an agency

Check that it exists: an address, its own website, a phone number and reviews. Visit the office if you can. Since the 2023 Housing Act, agency management fees are paid by the landlord.

6. After signing: the deposit

In the Region of Madrid, the landlord must lodge the deposit with the Agencia de Vivienda Social. Ask for the receipt.

None of these checks replaces the golden rule: do not pay anything before visiting the property and signing a contract. If you are a student, your university's international office can often help you check a contract.