Planning a move to Valencia and in search of a flat? Then this article is the perfect one for you. Find out how to rent a flat/room and all the tricks you need to know!
Valencia is a city I would recommend to everybody. In another post, I described my journey in this unique Spanish city. The combination between palm trees, iconic architecture, Spanish warm and outgoing mentality, and last but not least, the huge, and I can’t stress it enough, the HUGE beach makes the city a dream place.
I have changed more than seven different rooms/shared flats for my three years of residence there. Not that it is needed, simply that’s my way of living. I cannot live in the same place for too long. I have found numerous flats and rooms for myself and some friends over the years without paying money to agencies. As it is a top Erasmus destination, you will find many student accommodations in Valencia. Wanna know how? Keep reading.
Documents needed
You won’t need anything else but an ID for renting just a room. However, if you want to rent an entire flat, you will need an ID, also a private owner might ask you for a bank statement or work one as proof you can afford the flat.
Deposit & Rent prices
Again, things are different for a room and flat. For a room only, you will be asked for a deposit (fianza) equal to one month's rent, which will be given back to you after you finish the contract. Usually, for a whole apartment, the deposit equals 2 or 3 month rents, but this also depends on different owners/agencies. Be careful some private owners do not give back the deposit after the end of the contract. Luckily, I never had that problem, but I’ve heard and read a lot of people being scammed with it.
About the prices in Valencia, Spain have very different prices compared to Western Europe, etc. Not only in the stores but for properties as well. Do your research before signing a rent deal. Even with the rising prices from last year, Valencia still has pretty low costs for rental. You can easily find a spacious room, in a shared flat, with everything included starting from €350. Likewise, the prices for an apartment are considerably lower compared to other parts of Europe.
Breaking the contract
In this case, you have to be aware of what you signed. Most agencies will keep your deposit and any amount you have already paid for the month. Some of them can agree on one month's notice of leaving, without any additional cost, meaning you will get your deposit money back. Again this all depends on the contract, so read very well before signing and do not hesitate to negotiate. With private owners, the situation is similar, it all depends on the contract. However, I had some very good experiences, and with a month's notice before leaving, I used the deposit for my last month's payment and even helped the owner to find someone else for the flat. Everything went smooth, both parties were happy, so everything is possible.
Check the area & flatmates
I always advise everybody to make an appointment and check the room/flat before paying the rent and deposit fee. Like this, you can get to know a bit your flatmates and check around the neighborhood for shops, stops, and everything else you need.
Find a flat/room
The easiest way to find an entire flat or a room in a shared one is to check what idealista.com has to offer. There you will find numerous offers both from private owners and agencies. Most private owners might ask you for a work contract or money proof for renting an entire flat. However, if you are looking for a room only, the case is different. You need nothing more but your ID, a deposit (one month of rent) and an agency fee (if you decide to go with an agency). When renting privately, be aware that not all Spanish people speak or understand English. In this case, any translator app will do the hard work for you.
BADI
Another helpful app is Badi. There you can find only shared flats, mostly by private owners (yay, no agency fees), which makes it perfect for students to quickly (and super easy) find what they are looking for.
Have a look at pisos.com and yaencotre.com. Both of them are similar to Badi and offer many rooms for rent without any complications.
If you don't have the opportunity to visit the flat and you prefer to play it safe, check spotahome.com. They offer a virtual tour of all their properties, and everything is reviewed personally by their team. It takes no longer than 5 minutes to pay rent and deposit, and you have it fixed! Be aware that most of the owners will agree on one month's notice, with no additional cost, if you want to break the contract and leave before the end of it. With Spotahome it won’t happen this way. You will lose the deposit money and any additional month's rent you had already paid. Be smart and think real good about how long you want to stay there before booking it, you can choose any length of months.
Facebook groups
Last but not least, Facebook groups. Use the biggest advantage of the 21st century, the easiest way to connect to people - the internet and, well, Facebook.
Search for the groups: “ VALENCIA ROOMS FOR RENT” ; “EXPATS VALENCIA ROOMS RENT SHORT & LONG TERM” ; “ALQUILER PISOS VALENCIA” ; “ ALQUILER DE HABITACIONES PISOS VALENCIA.SHARED FLATS” .
You will find many of them in English and Spanish. One more time, if you don’t speak Spanish, any translator app will help you quickly. Check the posts or write one on your own, and I can promise you very soon, that you will have tons of flats/rooms to choose from.