Las Palmas is the ninth biggest city in Spain with over 400,000 inhabitants. Consequently, there are always plenty of decent flats to rent. The problem is finding one in the right area when you need it. Rental properties are listed and rent out fast on the island, especially in high-demand areas like the beach fronts. Finding a rental property can be a major headache for people with little time, or for those who don’t speak good Spanish.
Here are the main ways to find a flat in Las Palmas, along with their main advantages and disadvantages.
Walk the streets and look up
Many property owners advertise privately by sticking a sign in the window. Look for handwritten signs or orange and black ones bought from shops. These tend to indicate private rentals rather than agency lets. It’s also worth asking the porter in big buildings whether there is anything available to rent.
The big advantage of private rentals is that you don’t pay the month’s rental fee that all agencies in Graan Canaria charge for finding a flat. The disadvantage is that you have to spend a lot of time walking about and have enough Spanish to talk to the owners.
Go Old School and Look in the Papers
La Provincia and Canarias 7 have flat rental sections in their classified sections. The weekly El Baul is also a good source of private flat rentals but you have to get it as soon as it comes out on a Friday to stand a chance of bagging the best flats.
Search the Internet
Most property owners put their flats up on free websites such as idealista.com and segundamano.com. They are a great source of rental properties in Gran Canaria and especially in Las Palmas. The listings are usually in Spanish only. You have to be careful if you want to avoid agencies as most agencies also put their flats up on the same websites. Look for postings that include the phrases “sin agencies” or “alquiler privado” if you want to avoid agency fees.
Use an Estate Agent
There are dozens of estate agencies in Las Palmas that display flats for rent in their windows. They often have excellent options but do charge a month’s rent if you pick one of their flats.
Most agencies share their database of properties so there isn’t much point going to more than one big estate agent. They also tend to leave juicy flats in their windows long after they have been rented, just to get punters through the door. The main problem with Gran Canaria estate agencies, especially in Las Palmas, is that very few of them speak English.
Use a Rental Agency
Small rental agencies charge a flat fee to find you a place to rent. It is normally about 200 or 300 euros. These rental agencies scour the papers, websites and their local area for rentals and then match them to your requirements. Unlike estate agencies they don’t show you around but just give you the address and then charge their fee if you pick one of their recommendations.
Rental agencies are much cheaper than estate agencies, especially if you are looking for a high-end rental property as they charge a flat fee. However, we don’t know of any in Las Palmas that speak English
Contact Gran Canaria Property
We specialize in finding you the perfect rental property in Gran Canaria by searching all of the above options and by using our extensive knowledge of the island. Let us know what you are looking for and your price bracket and we will find you the best available properties. We take all the hassle out of finding the perfect place to live in Gran Canaria.