# English Speaking Estate Agent Alicante town



## sunny_side (Mar 29, 2013)

I'm currently in Alicante looking for an apartment to rent for 6 months, i have found some good websites but i am running into walls getting no responses on a bunch and i dont speak spanish so i really need an estate agent with some reasonable english skills so i can explain what i want and also understand the basic terms like utilities, rent in advance etc

I realize that going this route i will pay more than i would contacting someone directly but that is fine with me. Has anyone any recommendations or know of any estate agents that do long term rental that have an office i can visit in Alicante?

Also this probably differs from country to country but the last country i was in the estate agent basically setup 4-5 viewings a day, you drive to the office, they bring you to each location and let you view. Back home its a case of setting up a time for each one individually and meeting them at the location. I can do either but i just want to know what to expect in Spain, is it that i meet them there, i dont know the area well so without a proper address it would hard to find with directions.

Im looking for a modern place with a decent size living area so feel free to pm me with suggestions if your renting one out, willing to pay 500-800 per month ideally close to the central areas and/or beach but that is just a bonus and not a deal breaker.


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## sunny_side (Mar 29, 2013)

Tried a place in town near the center called Garcia, they are looking for 50% of the monthly rent up front for their fee plus 2 months deposit which is pretty steep. As i mentioned i wouldn't mind paying their fee as i don't speak Spanish.

Is it possible to hire a Spanish speaker for 1-2 days for a few hours each day, give them the links to the apartments i liked and have them talk with the owners/agencies and explain what i need, have them arrange a time and explain the location so i can view.

Is there people or agencies that do this type of translation help in Alicante and if so can anyone recommend them and what is the hourly rate likely to be? That's probably not an issue because it sounds like the agents fee's are costly and this site i'm looking on is showing lots with no fees i could choose from the ones with no agency fees and what i save on that could pay the translator.

Any help would be appreciated.


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## whitenoiz (Sep 18, 2012)

> 50% of the monthly rent up front for their fee plus 2 months deposit _which is pretty steep._


From what I understand about renting in Spain, two months rent in advance as a deposit is quite common as is a percentage of the rental as a finders/agents fee. 
Many if not most agents in the UK look for a minimum of three months rental as a deposit (or even more if you cannot provide a good credit reference) again plus agents fees...


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## sunny_side (Mar 29, 2013)

That might be so and if it is i guess i have to accept it and i dont really mind as long as i get the right apartment and if i return it in close to the same condition they will be fair and return my deposit.

This advice was what made me think it wasnt a good deal
Its actually from the rental sticky:



> on a long let you only ( legally ) have to pay one month rent as a deposit & a month upfront - it's up to you if agree to more, but there are more properties to rent than tenants, so why would you?
> 
> some agents will want a one-off 'finders fee' - it's up to you if you choose one of these agents - but as I said - there are more properties to rent than tenants, so why would you?
> 
> try to negotiate the monthly rent down - as I said (again) - there are more properties to rent than tenants, so why wouldn't you?


So what i have decided to do is use elance to hire a spanish/english translator, send then all the links of the apartments im interested in, explain things that are important like must have good internet etc and then they will contact all these agents/owners most if not all of which dont charge any agent fees as a lot are direct with the owner and then if the landlord/agent has questions for me they ring my translator and he rings me and vice versa, might not turn out like i hope but i think the best solution i can think of and just mentioning it for anyone else reading the post that is running out of ideas like me


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

the law only requires the equivalent of one month rent as deposit & one month rent in advance

there is no legal requirement for an agent fee, nor any law about whether the tenant or landlord is responsible for it, should one be paid


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