Spain launches €600 monthly incentive for owners of empty homes

The Spanish government has introduced a programme that pays owners of vacant apartments up to €600 a month for seven years if the property is transferred to affordable or social‑rent schemes. Applicants must prove ownership, provide documentation such as title deeds, ID and a technical report, and the property must meet the programme’s eligibility criteria.

Under Spanish rental law, landlords must return a tenant’s security deposit within one month of the hand‑over of the keys. If they fail to do so, they are required to pay daily legal interest calculated from the annual rate of 3.25 %. The deposit can only be retained for documented damages beyond normal wear, unpaid utility or community fees, or if the tenancy contract expressly allows deductions. A legal expert confirms that routine repainting of the flat is considered normal wear and cannot be deducted from the deposit.

Both measures aim to increase rental supply and protect tenants’ financial rights while encouraging owners to bring empty housing stock back into the market.