student guide accommodation 3

8/7/2019 Student Guide Accommodation 3

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If it was a choice between flat-hunting in Madrid and having three-

hour root-canal work with no anaesthetic, itd be the dentists chair

every time. Finding somewhere to live in Madrid is not fun.

However, you can take solace in the fact that once youve found that

perfect flat, youve beaten one of the citys hardest challenges. To help

you through this Mission Impossible, weve pooled all of our resources

and knowledge to bring you a near-foolproof guide to getting a roof

over your head. Firstly, we explain the basic rules of renting in Spain,and then we explain your rights as a tenant and tell you what to look

out for in your rental contract. If all else fails there are

always hostalesshould you need a temporary roof over your

head. Wherever you end up living, we wish you good luck in

your search!Illustration-JonFagenc

e

ContractMany landlords will want you to sign a one-yearcontract (contrato). Make sure you read the con-tract thoroughly for any catches if your Spanishisnt up to it, get a friend whos fluent to check itbefore you sign.

Aval, nminaoruniversity certificate?As a guarantee of your reliabilitywhen renting, you will be askedto show your university certifi-cate. If you are working, you willhave to show your nmina (paycheque) to prove that you havethe income to pay the rent. If you donot have either of the above, land-lords will often ask for an aval. Tosecure an aval, you must first pro-

duce and then agree to freezethe equivalent of three months to ayears worth of rent in a special bankaccount. This money would go to the landlord should

you fail to pay the rent or leave the property beforethe end of the contract. They are complicated, costlyand should be avoided if possible.

DepositThe norm is to pay a one- or two-month deposit. All

deposits are redeemable at the endof the contract but some moneymay be kept by the landlord to pay

for damage or wear and tear to theproperty. Be sure to get a receiptfor the deposit when you handover the cash.

Taxes and billsYou usually have to pay communitytax (gastos de comunidad), which

will either be included in the rent oran extra cost, so its important to ask.

Also, check if the price is con o singastos (with or without bills), as you

may have to pay for heating, electricityor water on top of your rent and tax.

RENTING IN SPAIN TTHHEE BBAASSIICCSS


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In the end, my landlady was a lot more reasonableabout the exploding washing machine than shecould have been.One Saturday morning in February, I wanted to put

a couple of loads through before heading out to goshopping. Before I knew it, the door of the ancientwasher had blown open, leaving the kitchen ankle-deep in soapy water. Luckily, Margaritas insurancepolicy covered the damage to the apartment (and thedownstairs neighbours kitchen ceiling) and within aweek I had a new washing machine. Thats not typi-

cal. Under Law 29/1994, I should have had to pay forthe new appliance, since I was arguably the one whobroke it.

Finding a place to live in Madrid can be toughenough, but knowing what your rights are when youdo have one is fundamental.

As good as the paper its written on

Although Spanish law permits the use of both verbaland written agreements, its best to get the terms ofcommitment put down in a Contrato deArrendimiento, which states the details of both renterand rentee and should include basic information suchas the length of contract, the items included in theflat at the time of rental, and the amount of rent to bepaid every month.

The contract will also include when the rent mustbe paid to the owner; though the law allows for pay-ment within the first seven days of the month, mostowners request payment before the fifth of the month.Note that, by law, landlords are only allowed toincrease the amount of rent in relation to the IPC, orcost of living, every fiscal year.

Work it outLandlords are required to perform whatever work isneeded to guarantee that the property stays in live-able shape. That doesnt mean that you have to footthe bill for the work, unless youve been living in theapartment for at least five years. If that happens, thelandlord cannot raise the amount of rent by more than20 percent per year.

Also remember that tenants are not allowed toperform any kind of work that could compromise thestructural integrity of the building or the flat, unless

changes are being made to accommodate a tenantwith special needs.

No subs

One peculiarity of Spanish rental law is that subletting

apartments is technically illegal so much so thatbeing caught doing it can mean cancellation of thecontract and being pushed out on the street. If youdecide to move in with your friend(s) or significantother, the best thing to do is to get in touch with theowner of the flat and re-sign the contract so thateverybody whos living in the place is named on therental contract. That way, if something happens toone of the parties, the others wont lose their right tolive there.

Time out

Most rental contracts start out as annual agree-ments, and are automatically extended year afteryear for a maximum of five years (unless the initialcontract is for a different time frame an academicyear of nine months, for instance.) Tenants can leavethe contract after giving 30 days notice; if the tenantneeds to leave before that time, the deposit (usuallythe equivalent of one months rent) might not bereturned.

Within those first five years, the flat is completelyyours: the owner is not allowed to revoke the rentalcontract because a family member needs the flat, andhe or she is not allowed to sell the flat without givingyou first option to buy. After those first five years, how-ever, the owner does have the right to take back theproperty for his use (or the use of his direct descen-

dants), but must give the renter three months notice,and the flat must be occupied within six months ofthe tenant moving out. For more information onrenters rights within the Comunidad de Madrid, seewww.madrid.org or call 91 728 52 99.

Pic: knic

RIGHTS FFOORR RENTERSBeing a student doesnt mean that you have to rent a rundownand leaky hovel. Patricia Dawn Severenuk reviews the rightsand obligations of tenants in Spain


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AAccccoommmmooddaattiioonn SSeerrvviiccee::RRoooommss,, ssttuuddiiooss,, ffllaattss...... sshhoorrtt oorr lloonngg tteerrmm

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MMoobbiillee,, SSiimm CCaarrdd,, eettcc..PPiicckk--UUpp SSeerrvviiccee::

FFrroomm AAiirrppoorrtt aanndd TTrraaiinn SSttaattiioonnss..c/Canarias, 28 Local A

Tel/fax: 91 530 34 82 or 686 208 613

Email: [email protected] or see

www.madridflatmate.com

for more information.

Palos de la Frontera

CClloosseedd SSuunnddaayyss && PPuubblliicc HHoolliiddaayyss..Offer

your

room

free M M

Madrid FlatmateAll that you need!!!

The official & authorised accommodation service.

Looking for a room or flat?

You can find it inthe accomodation

section ofThe InMadrid

classifiedsonline at

www.in-madrid.com


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For the parents

Hostal Oriente, situated just a tortillas toss fromMetro pera, is just right to accommodate those peo-ple who gave you food and shelter for 18 years.Besides each room having an en-suite bathroom, airconditioning, a TV, a safe and a handy little hairdryer,Hostal Orientes softly spoken and helpful staff ensurea pleasant stay. With plenty of sound-proofed roomsoverlooking the bustling square at pera, Hostal

Oriente regularly plays host to foreign parents visitingtheir kids in Madrid. With a recently installed lift, itseven perfect for grandma and grandpa. HHoossttaallOOrriieennttee,, cc//AArreennaall,, 2233,, 11 iizzddaa,, tteell:: 9911 554488 0033 1144((MMeettrroo:: ppeerraa)).. 2244 --hhoouurr rreecceeppttiioonn.. wwwwww ..ggeeoocciittiieess..ccoomm//hhoossttaalloorriieennttee

For the backpackers

Round-the-world trippers should head to Los AmigosHostel, where the English-speaking staff can set themup in affordable, dormitory-style rooms designed withthe backpacker in mind. The walls are plastered withinformation in English and Spanish about every-thing from where to join a football club to who to callif your shirt loses a button. There is even a guest bookfilled with notes left by happy guests ranging in nation-ality from Belgian to Korean. Zach from the States

said: Good place, good people, solid vibe. This is ahaven of chilling hard. Chill hard everyone, chill hard.Well said, Zach. LLooss AAmmiiggooss,, cc//CCaammppoommaanneess,, 66,, 44iizzddaa,, tteell:: 9911 554477 1177 0077 ((MMeettrroo:: ppeerraa)).. 2244--hhoouurr rreecceepp --ttiioonn.. wwwwww..lloossaammiiggoosshhoosstteell..ccoomm

For the party animals

Those who come to Madrid planning to ward off the heatby swimming in sangra belong at MuchoMadrid. Youcant even stay in this dorm-style hostel perched onthe seventh floor overlooking Gran Va unless youreof partying age, ie 18-40 years old. Besides beinghappy to facilitate the craziest weekend of your life,MuchoMadrid also offers a TV lounge and communalkitchen where you can recuperate afterwards with a cup

of tea. HHoossttaall MMuucchhooMMaaddrriidd,, cc//GGrraann VVaa,, 5599,, 77,, tteell:: 9911555599 2233 5500 ((MMeettrroo:: PPllaazzaa ddee EEssppaaaa)).. 2244--hhoouurr rreecceeppttiioonn..For the tiquismiquis

This is for the guy who sends food back at restaurants.The persnickety traveller will be wowed by CatsHostel. Awarded the prize of 2005s Worlds BestHostel by hostelworld.com, this 18th-century palace-turned-hostel lives up to its heady title. Besides theimportant amenities that many other hostels have inMadrid central location, 24-hour reception, reason-able price Cats goes one better by offering its owncave bar and courtyard, which literally crawl with worldtravellers. Twice a week, Cats features internationaldjs, taking this hostel from mere accommodation to aninternationally known destination. CCaattss HHoosstteell,,cc//CCaaiizzaarreess,, 66,, tteell:: 9911 336699 2288 0077 ((MMeettrroo:: TTiirrssoo ddeeMMoolliinnaa)).. 2244--hhoouurr rreecceeppttiioonn.. wwwwww..ccaattsshhoosstteell..ccoommFor the bargain-hunters

Having opened in April of 2006, Albergue Juvenil (AJ)offers guests both modern architecture and modernamenities at an affordable price. Daily continentalbreakfast, hostal-wide wi-fi, and use of AJs exercisefacilities, lounge, computer room and pool table are allincluded in the 18 per night room fee ( 22 for peopleover 26). Use of the on-site washers and dryers, howev-er, costs another 3. AJ also features weekly Thursdayconcerts and daily tours around the vibrant Malasaaneighbourhood where you can eat tapas and dancesalsa with the hostals social motivator. AAllbbeerrgguueeJJuuvveenniill,, cc//MMeejjaa LLeeqquueerriiccaa,, 2211,, tteell:: 9911 559933 9966 8888((MMeettrroo:: AAlloonnssoo MMaarrttnneezz//TTrriibbuunnaall)).. 2244--hhoouurr rreecceeppttiioonn..wwwwww..aajjmmaaddrriidd..eess ERIE MEYER AND MARTY SATTELL

GIMME SHELTERWhether you just need a bed for a few nights, or youve gotvisitors coming to town, InMadrids guide to hostels andhostales* will show you the best places to stay

Cats Hostel Photo: Natalie Muallem

* An hostal is something between a hostel and ahotel, usually offering accommodation of a similar

standard to a hotel, but without amenities such

as room service, breakfast, a bar, etc.


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1. Locate the appropriate toolsCheck InMadrids classifieds section each month(online or in the magazine) for a fine selection ofrooms to rent although get there quick, as by thefirst week of the month, most will be already rented.The magazine Segundamanoor websites www.ideal-ista.com and www.loquo.comshould be your next ports of call.The flats for rent are organised bytype (single room, flats, etc) andby price. The paper and websitesare used by accommodation

agencies, so beware of advertsthat carry a reference number,and if possible, check if youretalking to an agent or a privatelandlord when you make the firstcall. Otherwise youll be facing afinders-fee for the agent as wellas your deposit and first monthsrent.

2. Set your alarm

Spain is a country where gettingout of bed late is written into theconstitution except when itcomes to flat-hunting. Call at10am and all the good places are either being seenor already rented out. It really is a good idea to callfirst thing in the morning and get to see them asquickly as you can.

3. Learn the lingo

If you dont have a good grasp of Spanish yet, youshould still be able to see some flats with the mostbasic vocabulary.

Pisos compartidosare shared flats

in which individual rooms are available for rent. Youmay be asked to pay a depsitoor fianza, customar-ily equal to one months rent. If youre the only onein the queue of potential occupants who doesntspeak the language, unfortunately youre not likelyto be in the running. When this happened to me,before I knew it, 600 euros of deposit was beinghanded over to the landlady by the Spaniard alsobeing shown round. She did at least have the cour-tesy to say No hablas espaol, verdad? to me asshe shooed me out of the newly occupied flat.

4. Read the signs

Putting up signs is a great way to find a flat. TheMercado de Fuencarral has a good notice-board forpeople advertising and seeking flats, as does Petras

International Bookshop, in calle Campomanos, inpera, and the various university buildings in the city.

5. Spread the word

Speak to everyone you know, and I mean everyone.Quite often someone knows someone who has a

friend of a friend who is lookingfor a flatmate.

6. Be realistic

If you want to live in the centre,expect to pay between 250 and

400 for a decent place in sharedaccommodation. If youre preparedto live farther out, just watch thequality rise and the price tumble.Get an idea of your desired neigh-bourhoods before you start to look.Thatll make it easier to find aplace via Segundamano.

7. Check credentials

When you do find a place or ifyouve rented a big place and arelooking for people to share with screen your potential room-mates. International environ-

ments could be the best thing if youre a student, asyoull be on a similar timetable (ie out all night and upfor a chat when you stagger back in at 6am).

8. Seek professional help

There are agencies that specialise in accommodationthat are run by English speakers. Normally they chargeyou a fee at the beginning of the searching process.See the ads on the opposite page for starters.

9. Read the small print

Finally, before taking the plunge, be sure to check thecontract with an enormous magnifying glass and atranslator if necessary. Make sure you know what theutilities (gastos) will cost, how long the contract willlast (if you have a contract) and how much it will costyou to break it if need be.

10. Settle into your new home

If you put the word out, persevere with making early-morning phone calls and cross the ts and dot the is onthe contract before accepting, you should be able toturn this normally painful process into a walk in thepark.

NAILING THAT FFLLAATTFinding somewhere to live in Madrid can be tricky. Here is your10-point plan to finding the perfect flat

Pic: knic


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ad directory

Madrid FlatmateHow does our accommodation service work?1. Come to our office and tell us your roomrequirements.

2. We listen and show you pictures of our accommo-dation that we think match your requirements.

3. You choose up to three different rooms you wouldlike to visit.4. We phone the owner of the flat and arrange a timeto visit.5. Together we go to visit the rooms/flats that youhave chosen and choose the room you most like.6. Together we go through the contract point by pointbefore you sign; this provides total transparency. No

small print here!7. Now you have your flat/room we can offer you helpwith baggage storage, mobile-phone rental, touristinformation and pick-up service.Madrid Flatmate Supplies All That You Need tohelp you start living in Madrid without worriesor stress.Madrid Flatmate, c/Canarias, 28 Local A,tel/fax: 91 530 34 82 or 686 208 613 (Metro:Palos de la Frontera). Email: info@madrid-

flatmate.com or see www.madridflatmate.comfor more information. (See ad p15.)

Accommodation for Studentsin Madrid (AFS)AFS was established in Madrid [2001] as a housinginitiative for international students. They findaccommodation to rent by offering independentguidance. AFS advertises approximately 22,000

bed-spaces in central Madrid every year. They cur-rently hold around 8,000 properties in their data-base and most (80%) are located in city-centre dis-tricts: Centro, Chamberi and Moncloa. Turnover ishigh and fast, that is, what is available today may betaken by tomorrow so they review and update theirlists daily. You can personally choose from theirhuge selection of properties and search for the some-where to live that meets your requirements. Explorefor housing within your maximum budget anddesired location. AFS makes the hunt an easyprocess by acting on your behalf. They take care ofall the phone calls and arrange the viewings (evenon the same day). There is no limit as to the placesyou can visit until you decide which place to rent.

They have standard terms of business and offer adiscount to In-Madridreaders. The fastest and mostconvenient way is to visit the AFS office in Madrid.Contact: Donald Timson-Herranz, AFS, Calle

del General Alvarez de Castro, 11-13. Metro:Quevedo / Iglesia. Open: Mon-Fri, 11am-8pm.Tel: 678 041 445 / 661 249 770.Email: [email protected]: http://spain.accommodationforstudents.com

In-Madridwww.in-madrid.com

Regularly updated site featuring articlesfrom Madrids premier monthly English-lan-guage magazine. Here youll find inter-views, nightlife guides, art and culturenews and the on-line version of the famousin-madrid classifieds. You can also find outwhere to pick up your copy of the freemonthly magazine.

Madrid Virtualhttp://madrid-virtual.com

A Spanish website that systematically listsaccommodation and types of attractions inan easy-to-follow way. And, a list of busi-nesses that including everything fromplumbers to tarot card readers. Alsoincludes general information about the coun-cil, the weather, local radio stations, and thedistance in kilometres to a number of otherSpanish cities.

Gridskipper: Madridhttp://gridskipper.com/tag/madrid/

The hipsters answer to Google Map, takeson Madrid, as well as every other city with apopulation of tag-wielding bloggers.Generally, off-kilter lists dot Gridskipper likeOccult Paris, and Madrids page doesntdisappoint with insider posts focusing on

edgier neighbourhoods and niche classics.One gripe: not updated frequently enough.

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