# Renting out your house while staying in Spain



## jessymoo (Jun 30, 2009)

As we are spending more and more time in Spain we are looking to rent out our house in the UK. Dont want to sell it just yet as its such a big step. Has anyone done this and is it better to let it out furnished or unfurnished. Also what is the best type of tenancy agreement. Have any members had any previuos problems with tenants.
Thanks in anticipation


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

jessymoo said:


> As we are spending more and more time in Spain we are looking to rent out our house in the UK. Dont want to sell it just yet as its such a big step. Has anyone done this and is it better to let it out furnished or unfurnished. Also what is the best type of tenancy agreement. Have any members had any previuos problems with tenants.
> Thanks in anticipation


Hi jessymoo,
look at this recent thread that might help you
http://www.expatforum.com/expats/sp.../56383-renting-out-uk-while-living-spain.html


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

jessymoo said:


> As we are spending more and more time in Spain we are looking to rent out our house in the UK. Dont want to sell it just yet as its such a big step. Has anyone done this and is it better to let it out furnished or unfurnished. Also what is the best type of tenancy agreement. Have any members had any previuos problems with tenants.
> Thanks in anticipation


Yes, we had experience as landlords in the UK and abroad. We rented out a few properties we owned and also rented our house prior to selling before we left the UK.
There are different laws depending on the length of tenancy and whether the property is furnished or unfurnished. A good lawyer -or the internet -will inform you of the current laws regarding letting.
We rented our properties to US military families so inventories, contracts etc. were all done for us. We had no real problems but enough to make us decide to sell the properties. Minor things but annoying.
When we left the UK we rented our house unfurnished through an agency. The tenant, a Polish woman, supplied references but was unsatisfactory. She opened post and stole a credit card and PIN which was sent to me (although I informed the bank I had left the UK) and used it to get £5000. She also sub-let.
You need to make sure you have a legal contract properly drawn up - that is vital.
Whether you get a good tenant or not is entirely down to luck.
The Polish woman supplied good references.....
And bear in mind that it is very difficult to evict an unsatisfactory tenant.
People will tell you it's easy, take a sledgehammer, change the locks and so on...but the likelihood is that you will end up being charged with a criminal offence.
So....use a reputable agency who will draw up a proper contract, do an inventory, collect the rent and keep an eye on the property. That won't come cheap...but as with most things in life, cutting corners can end up with tears before bedtime.....


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## djfwells (Sep 28, 2009)

We did this when my partner and I first moved to Spain. Granted, we had rented the house in question out for 12 months before we moved abroad, but told ourselves that we would keep ownership of the property as a kind of 'Lifeline'.
Our agreement was, shall we say 'Informal', and worked very well for us - the tenant continued to rent from us for a further 4 years.
The bottom line is this - you can get good and bad tenants regardless of whether your agreement is legal or illegal. Some tenants won't be a minutes trouble, and some will cause you all kinds of problems that will be difficult to deal with when you are in Spain. It is really all down to the calbibre of the tenant and your trust in them. Go with your instincts.


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## 90199 (Mar 21, 2010)

jessymoo said:


> As we are spending more and more time in Spain we are looking to rent out our house in the UK. Dont want to sell it just yet as its such a big step. Has anyone done this and is it better to let it out furnished or unfurnished. Also what is the best type of tenancy agreement. Have any members had any previuos problems with tenants.
> Thanks in anticipation


It is a minefield! My daughter put hers in the hand of an agent who in turn rented it to people on Social Security.

Over six months they trashed the furniture and fittings, annoyed the neighbours, stole anything they could lay their hands on and eventually did a moonlight flit, to avoid paying rent.

We decided to sell ours and invest the income, it took two years to sell so we spent the winters here in the Canaries and returned to England when the grass needed cutting. However we now do not have the worry of the house in England and the monies invested are doing rather well!

It is a big decision, and I do not envy you, but I wish you the best of luck!

Hepa


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

djfwells said:


> We did this when my partner and I first moved to Spain. Granted, we had rented the house in question out for 12 months before we moved . It is really all down to the calbibre of the tenant and your trust in them. Go with your instincts.


Bad, unbusinesslike advice You were lucky, many aren't.
Your instincts may be right....or horribly wrong.
As has been pointed out, if your instincts let you down you could find yourself in a heap of trouble.
Renting a property is a business transaction. You should proceed in a business-like manner. Get proper contracts drawn up,get references and if possible check them out.
You cannot possibly know the 'calibre' of a tenant.
My daughter-in-law has property in Spain she rents to City financiers earning six-figure salaries, solid middle-class types. She works with these people. 
The property has on more than a couple of occasions been left in a truly disgusting state.
Remember the adage:'In God we trust. All others pay cash'.
That's the principle on which we operated our businesses and rented our properties.


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## djfwells (Sep 28, 2009)

mrypg9 said:


> Bad, unbusinesslike advice You were lucky, many aren't.
> Your instincts may be right....or horribly wrong.
> As has been pointed out, if your instincts let you down you could find yourself in a heap of trouble.
> Renting a property is a business transaction. You should proceed in a business-like manner. Get proper contracts drawn up,get references and if possible check them out.
> ...


I'm not giving advice here. I'm stating a fact. The Original Poster can interprete and use that information as they will, or simply ignore it. Legal contracts can be broken and disregarded and landlords can get get screwed over just as those without any contract can (and often with more expense).
Not offering advise, yet again, put I prefer to trust my own judgement over and above a contract that is largely worthless whenever the landlord of a property in the UK has a problem.


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