Rent increases in Spain

Overview

During a tenancy, rent can only go up once a year, on the contract's anniversary, and only using the method set out in the LAU (Ley de Arrendamientos Urbanos) and the contract itself. Landlords cannot simply raise the rent by whatever amount they choose during an ongoing lease.

Requirements

• This applies to habitual-residence leases regulated by the LAU — the exact rule depends on when your contract was signed
• For contracts signed from 26 May 2023 onwards, annual updates are capped by the IRAV (Índice de Referencia de Arrendamientos de Vivienda), a rent-specific index published monthly by the INE (Instituto Nacional de Estadística)
• For contracts signed before that date, updates are generally based on the general CPI (IPC) unless the contract states otherwise

Step-by-step process

• Check your contract for the specific clause on how annual updates are calculated
• Your landlord must notify you in writing before applying an increase, stating the index used, the exact percentage, the current rent and the new rent
• Confirm the percentage against the current IRAV or IPC figure published by the INE for the relevant month
• If the calculation looks wrong, or notice wasn't given properly, you can query it directly with your landlord before paying the new amount

Required documents

• Your signed rental contract
• The landlord's written notice of the increase
• The INE's published index figure for the month your contract renews

Common mistakes

• Assuming rent can be increased using any index the landlord prefers — the applicable index depends on your contract's signing date
• Paying an increase without receiving proper written notice
• Confusing the capped in-tenancy update with the rent a landlord can set for a brand-new contract, which is not capped in the same way

Practical tips

• The IRAV is designed to always be equal to or lower than the general IPC, specifically to avoid disproportionate rent rises
• Check the INE's website each year around your renewal date for the current published index
• Keep every written notice from your landlord, even if you don't dispute it — you'll want a record if anything changes later

How Tuchati can help

If you're unsure whether an increase has been calculated correctly for your specific contract, Tuchati can help you check it against the right index.