Moving into a new home in Spain

Overview

Once you've signed your contract and have the keys, a short practical checklist in the first days makes the rest of your move much smoother — from documenting the property's condition to getting registered at your new address.

Requirements

• Applies once you've signed a rental contract or completed a property purchase and have access to the property

Step-by-step process

• Complete a move-in inventory with dated photos of the property's condition, room by room, before unpacking
• Take meter readings for electricity, gas and water on the day you move in
• Confirm utilities are active and, if needed, complete the change of holder into your name
• Register your address at the local ayuntamiento (empadronamiento) — you'll need this for healthcare, schooling and other services
• Update your address with your bank, insurer, and any relevant authorities

Required documents

• Signed rental contract or property deed
• NIE or passport
• Move-in inventory and photos

Common mistakes

• Skipping the move-in inventory, which makes it much harder to dispute unfair deposit deductions later
• Delaying empadronamiento — it's needed for several other processes, so registering early avoids bottlenecks
• Not confirming utility meter readings on day one, which can cause disputes over who's billed for what

Practical tips

• Keep a simple written or photo record from day one — it takes minutes and can save real hassle at move-out
• If anything in the property doesn't match what was agreed (missing furniture, undisclosed damage), raise it with your landlord immediately, in writing

How Tuchati can help

Tuchati can help you work through the first-week checklist so nothing important gets missed while you're settling in.