Most people who live in Las Palmas rent an apartment; the rental market is moving fast at the moment so here’s my guide to searching for a place to live in the city.
The Las Palmas property rental market is currently high on demand and low on supply. Finding a good place to live at short notice is pretty tricky, especially if you want to be close to Las Canteras beach.
There are a couple of good reasons for this…
The first is that most people, local and foreign, want to live in the flat part of Las Palmas close to the beach.
The second is that a lot of residential property is now being rented out as holiday lets; short-term rental was legalised in the city in 2015 and the market is currently booming.
Good news if you own a property, not so good if you want to rent one.
The cost of renting a Las Palmas Property
Studios and one-bedroom apartments close to the beach cost at least 600 euros per month and up to 750 euros, depending on location and on whether they have outside space. A two-bed place costs upwards of 900 per month and three bedrooms will set you back well over 1000 euros per month.
As you move back from the beach and up the hill, prices drop in line with the distance from the flat part of town. In the high parts of the city you can rent three bedrooms for 700 euros per month.
Tenants pay the owner a month’s deposit and the first month’s rent in advance. Some owners ask for two month’s rent as a deposit if their apartment is well furnished or if you have a pet.
In most cases, you don’t have to pay anything else. However, it is legal for the property owner to include clauses in the rental contract that make the tenant liable for the monthly community charge (for lift and communal area maintenance) and even the annual IBI property tax.
Your rights as a Las Palmas rental tenant
See this article for a full guide to your rights as a tenant in Las Palmas & Gran Canaria.
Finding a Las Palmas rental property
It’s almost impossible to find a long-term rental property in Las Palmas before you arrive. Flats rent out fast and owners are not willing to wait for a tenant who isn’t on the island.
So, I advise you to book a holiday let apartment for the first few weeks you are in the city or stay in a hostel, co-working space, or cheap hotel. This way you know you have somewhere to sleep (and an internet connection) while you look for a long-term place to live.
Most owners and estate agencies now advertise their rental properties on the internet on portals like Idealista and Fotocasa.
The portals are the best place to start looking and to get a feel for prices and availability. Check them regularly as good rentals don’t stay on the market for long these days.
Note that many rentals advertised on the portals are listed by estate agents.
Using an estate agency to find a rental property
If you are in Las Palmas and ready to move into a flat, having a good agent scanning for new rentals is a good idea; agents see the latest rentals before they go onto the portals.
Estate agencies in Las Palmas charge a month’s rent as commission when they rent out a property. This fee is paid by the tenant.
So, if you use an agency you have to pay out three month’s rent in advance; one for the commission, one as a deposit, and one in advance.
Las Palmas property rental hacks
Many older owners still don’t trust the internet so it’s always worth walking around looking for signs that say ‘alquiler’.
Also, some owners don’t use agencies and rely on word-of-mouth to rent their apartments so it’s always worth asking in local shops and bars.
The porters in big buildings often act as unofficial letting agents and know if anything is about to become available.
Another option is to scan holiday rental websites like Airbnb and ask owners if they are willing to let you rent long-term. Most owners with property close to the beach will say no, but you may be lucky if you target properties in residential areas of the city away from the sand.
The best months to look are in the slowest months for holiday lets; May, June and September.
If you want to rent a room rather than a flat, look in Facebook groups like Rent & Share Gran Canaria. It’s also worth checking noticeboards in language bookshops and academies, and even up at the University in Tafira.
Las Palmas Property
I’m Laura Leyshon, Las Palmas’ resident British estate agent. If you’re looking for an apartment to rent in the city, please feel free to contact me with the details.
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