15 Apartment Rental Questions to Ask in Spanish

Published Sep 9, 2026·Updated Sep 9, 2026

Transcript

Read along, Spanish & English, side by side

1. You know what happens a lot? People pay a deposit in cash and then the apartment disappears.

2. Yikes, expensive mistake. Today we’re avoiding that with 15 clear questions to rent an apartment without

3. surprises. Yes, exactly. You’re going to learn what to ask when visiting an apartment with the owner

4. or an agency, in a real situation, all at a B1 level, so they understand you and you get

5. useful answers. Hi, hi, I’m Carlos. And yes, before we continue, if you want to practice it

6. later, the whole lesson is on Vocabli. Okay, let’s get to it, because time is of the essence when

7. looking for an apartment. First, the basics, which seem obvious but aren’t always. Question 1: What

8. is the total monthly price with all expenses? I mean, not just the rent, but also the community fee,

9. garbage tax, and if there’s a garage. Better to have the full figure from the start.

10. Absolutely. And right after comes question 2: What expenses aren’t included? Normally,

11. electricity, water, gas, and internet are separate. Ask for examples: How much does the tenant pay now, more or less,

12. in winter and summer? That way you calculate your real life, not the pretty ad.

13. And number 3 is super important: How much is the deposit and how is it returned? The deposit is the money you

14. leave as a guarantee. Also ask if there’s an extra deposit or additional guarantee. And have them

15. explain the return process with timelines and conditions. Question 4 is about paperwork, of course. Is there

16. a written contract? For how long? It seems basic, but there are people who, in a rush, just accept

17. messages and that’s it. Better to have a contract with clear dates, durations, and if necessary, renewals.

18. Alright, let’s do a mini roleplay quickly so you can hear it in action. I’ll be the agent and you,

19. Carlos, the interested party. 3, 2, 1. Hello, good morning. I like the apartment, but I have some questions. What’s the

20. total monthly price with community fees and everything? Well, it’s 750 euros rent and 50 for the community. The

21. garbage fee is included. Electricity and internet are separate. Perfect. And the deposit? How much is it and how is it

22. returned in the end? It’s one month’s rent for the deposit and an additional half-month for the furniture. It’s returned

23. when you hand in the keys, if everything is fine, within 30 days. Okay. Last for now,

24. the contract is for one year. Can it be renewed? Yes, for one year with an option to renew if both parties

25. agree. And we ask for one month’s notice if you leave. Great. You see, with four questions you get

26. a lot of information. Let’s continue. Question 5. Is it furnished? What furniture and appliances are

27. there exactly? And ask for an inventory, a list. That way if something’s missing when you move in, you can say,

28. hey, it says here there’s a microwave. You avoid arguments. Number 6. What seems silly but affects

29. your wallet, like heating and hot water? If it’s electric, you might pay more. Ask,

30. how much is usually paid in winter? And watch out for old radiators; they consume a lot.

31. Number 7. Does it relate to noise and the neighborhood, what are the neighbors like? Is there noise at night or

32. nearby construction? You can add: is the street noisy? Better to know before signing than after, right? Watch out, a real story from a friend. She went to see an apartment that in the ad seemed huge and bright,

34. like in a movie. She arrives and it’s a tiny apartment, old photos, and the window faced a dark courtyard. She spent half

35. an hour in a really awkward conversation with the landlord, trying to be nice. Moral of the story, question 8,

36. direct: Are the photos recent? Can I see the apartment during the day? And if in doubt, ask for a live video call.

37. Yes, and another one that saves you, number 9 is about repairs. If something breaks, who fixes it and how long

38. do they usually take to respond? It’s not the same to have a landlord who lives nearby and responds quickly

39. as it is to have a slow agency. Ask for a real contact number for emergencies.

40. Number 10: How is the rent paid and on what date? If it’s bank transfer, ask for the IBAN in writing and the

41. reference to include. If they offer cash, better not, and if they insist, at least make sure you get a receipt

42. every month, always. Number 11 has a trick, there’s an annual price increase, how is it calculated? Sometimes they increase it by

43. an index or a fixed amount. Have them explain it simply and ensure it’s in the contract. That way there are no

44. surprises in 6 months. Number 12, very practical if you just moved in: Can I register at this

45. apartment? To register means to register at the address of the apartment, okay? They might ask for it for the doctor,

46. school, or paperwork. Better confirm it beforehand. And number 13, are pets allowed? If you have a cat or

47. dog, say it clearly. Sometimes the landlord agrees, but with conditions. Better to discuss it first than to hide

48. the cat, you know? Number 14: Can I paint or put up shelves? Small things bring a lot of life to the

49. apartment. Ask if you have to leave everything as it was and if you need to give notice before making

50. holes. Number 15, which many forget: What documents do they require to rent? Normally, they ask for pay slips,

employment contract and your ID card or passport. Some agencies ask for a guarantee or an extra deposit. If they ask you

for money without showing the contract, that's a bad sign. Quick pause to avoid scams. If someone says to you:

give me a month now so no one else sees it, and there's no contract or receipt,

say no: a reservation without paperwork is smoke. If it's really a reservation, get it in writing

with clear conditions. Alright, halfway through the episode, mini quiz. Let's see, Carlos, without looking,

what is a guarantee and how does it differ from a reservation? The guarantee is the money you leave as

a deposit during the rental and it's returned at the end if everything's fine. The reservation means paying

to hold the apartment before the contract, but it's only valid if it's in writing with dates and

conditions. Am I doing well? Perfect. And I add, if they ask you for an additional deposit, they should explain

it, for example, for furniture. And everything in the contract, please. Let's continue with more fine details. A

very useful extra question: do the contracts for electricity, water, and internet go into my name or stay in the

owner's name? If they go into your name, take note of the meter readings on moving day.

That way you pay for your usage, not the previous tenant's. Another one I love: what's the notice period

if I want to leave early? One month, two, make it clear. And ask if there's a penalty for leaving before

the time. Sometimes there isn't if you give notice in time. And pay attention to availability: when can I move in and

when do I get the keys? Sometimes the apartment seems ready, and then there's a painting or a repair missing.

Ask for a specific date, preferably in writing, so you don't get stuck in an endless email about next week.

You also need to do a signed inventory. If there are furniture items, sit down for five minutes and mark their condition,

couch with a stain, table with scratches, whatever it is. It may seem tedious, but it saves you arguments

later on. Let me tell you another short anecdote. A guy paid half a month's rent to reserve, and the agent

canceled appointments for everyone else. In the end, the owner didn’t accept his profile and it took him weeks

to get his money back, with a thousand calls. Since then, he always asks: if they don’t accept me,

how and when do they return my deposit? A real lifesaver.

Yes, if they tell you there’s no contract yet, but to pay now, that's a bad sign. Hey, no drama,

you can say: sorry, I'd prefer to sign first and then pay. And that’s it.

Let's do a second role-play, short one, about negotiating little things. I'm the tenant,

you’re the landlord. Okay, go ahead. Hi, I really like the apartment. Two questions: could I paint the living room

wall in a light color? And I have a calm cat, is that allowed? Painting is fine, but in a neutral color and you

leave it as it was when you move out. The cat is okay if you leave a small additional deposit and use a

closed litter box. And if something happens to the couch, we’ll talk. Perfect, everything clear. And one more thing, if the

boiler breaks down, who do I call and how quickly do they usually come? You call us at this number and we usually respond

within 48 hours. If it’s urgent, we’ll send a technician sooner. And if you break something due to improper use,

you pay for it. See? Three questions and now you know the limits, times, and costs. Discussing it now saves you

headaches later. A surprise recommendation that works for me, ask about the real cost of

living there. Just like that: how much did the last tenant pay for rent, community fees, and supplies

in a normal month? They’ll crunch the numbers and you can decide calmly. And when in doubt about noise, ask for five

minutes of silence during the visit. It might sound odd, but it works. Close your mouth, listen, neighbors,

traffic, bar downstairs. Then ask: is it always like this at night? Cheeky.

Another good one: how is the sun here, morning or afternoon? It’s not poetry, it’s temperature and light. A dark

apartment might seem cheap, but then you end up spending more on electricity and heating. Better to know. If you go with an agency,

also ask about the fees, do I have to pay commissions, how much and when? Don’t be caught off guard

at the end. And if there’s a bill, even better, makes it all clear. And a final document in case they require it,

sometimes they ask for a guarantee, which is an extra security. If you don’t have it, you can propose paying

a slightly higher deposit or providing letters from your company. Talk, negotiate without fear.

Before we close, let’s do another mini recap of key phrases, I like to keep it at the tip of

my tongue. What is the total price including community fees? What costs are not included? How much deposit

do they require and how is it returned? Can I register here? Who fixes broken items and how long does it typically take?

Short lists that save lives. And if you need to say no, there’s also a phrase:

thank you for your time, but it’s not what I’m looking for. Polite and no fuss. Don’t be shy.

Question for you listening, so you can tell us below: what question saved you from a problem while

Rent an apartment? Or, if something's missing, what question would you add to these 15? We want to hear real ideas.

And as we mentioned at the beginning, the complete interactive lesson, with transcription,

vocabulary cards and exercises, is free on Vocabli. You have the link in the description.

A hug and see you next time.

Un abrazo y hasta la próxima.