Renting4 min read
How to find a long-term rental in Torrevieja
Where to look for a year-round rental, how to approach agents and what to check before paying a deposit.
Read guide →Local knowledge, checked carefully
Practical guides for living on the Costa Blanca
Straight answers about rentals, repairs, renovation paperwork and coastal property maintenance. We link the rules, then say where the usual headaches actually are.
Rental search shortcuts
The property sites worth checking
Use more than one because the stock overlaps imperfectly. A listing being on a large portal does not prove that the advertiser owns or controls the property.
Idealista ↗Torrevieja results with the long-term filter selected. Read the dates in each advert as well as its headline.Fotocasa ↗Another place to search Torrevieja rentals. Check whether the available dates include the months you need.ThinkSpain ↗English-language Costa Blanca listings with filters for long-term homes, pets and property type.Spanish Fincas ↗An inland Costa Blanca estate agency that is more useful for country-property research and purchases than mainstream long-term rental hunting.
Renting
8 guidesRenting3 min read
How to find a long-term rental in Orihuela Costa
How to choose an area, check year-round availability and assess a rental in La Zenia, Playa Flamenca or Villamartín.
Read guide →Renting4 min read
Documents needed to rent a home in Spain
Passport, NIE, payslips, bank statements—what agents ask for, what to prepare, and when to stop sending more.
Read guide →Renting3 min read
How to avoid rental scams on the Costa Blanca
How to check the advertiser, property and payment terms—even when the listing and paperwork look convincing.
Read guide →Renting3 min read
Rental deposits and agency fees in the Valencian Community
Fianza, guarantees, reservations and admin fees: ask what each payment is before you agree to the total.
Read guide →Renting2 min read
Habitual residence or temporary rental in Spain?
An eleven-month contract isn't automatically temporary. Start with why you need the home, then read what you're being asked to sign.
Read guide →Renting2 min read
Finding a pet-friendly long-term rental on the Costa Blanca
What to tell an owner about your pet, how to check the rules and what to agree before moving in.
Read guide →Renting3 min read
Setting up water and electricity in a Spanish rental
Get the bills and meter readings while the agent is still handing over the keys. It saves a lot of chasing later.
Read guide →Hiring trades
3 guidesHiring trades2 min read
How to choose a reliable tradesperson on the Costa Blanca
A Facebook recommendation gets you a name. Here is how to work out whether that person is right for your job.
Read guide →Hiring trades2 min read
How to compare builders' and tradespeople's quotes in Spain
Compare what each price includes, how extra work is handled and when payments become due.
Read guide →Hiring trades3 min read
Why you should ask for a factura for home repairs in Spain
Ask about the invoice when you ask about the price. Sorting it out after you have paid is harder.
Read guide →Renovating
3 guidesRenovating2 min read
Do you need permission for renovation work in Torrevieja?
How to check the Town Hall procedure, community requirements and paperwork for your proposed renovation.
Read guide →Renovating3 min read
Renovation permission in Orihuela Costa: where to start
La Zenia, Playa Flamenca and Villamartín renovations usually start with Orihuela paperwork. Here is what to ask before work begins.
Read guide →Renovating3 min read
When does a renovation need approval from the owners' community?
It is your apartment, but the wall, roof or terrace you want to change may involve everyone else too.
Read guide →Electrical & solar
6 guidesElectrical & solar2 min read
Finding an English-speaking electrician in Orihuela Costa
Find someone who can explain the fault in English—and has the right authority to do the work.
Read guide →Electrical & solar2 min read
Finding an English-speaking electrician in Torrevieja
What to check and what to tell an electrician when the power goes wrong in a Torrevieja apartment.
Read guide →Electrical & solar2 min read
What is a boletín eléctrico and when might you need one?
Who issues a boletín, what you are paying for and why it is more than a form someone emails over.
Read guide →Electrical & solar2 min read
Why does the electricity keep tripping in a Spanish home?
What the pattern can tell you, what to leave alone and why a bigger breaker is not a universal fix.
Read guide →Electrical & solar2 min read
Installing an EV charger in a community garage in Spain
The charger is easy to picture. The cable route, meter and community paperwork need just as much attention.
Read guide →Electrical & solar2 min read
Solar panels for a Costa Blanca home: questions to ask first
Costa Blanca sunshine helps. Your bills, roof and daytime usage decide whether the proposal makes sense.
Read guide →Air conditioning
4 guidesAir conditioning2 min read
Choosing air conditioning installation in La Zenia
Choose the layout, drainage and outdoor location before choosing the finish of the indoor unit.
Read guide →Air conditioning2 min read
Air-conditioning repair in Torrevieja: what to report
What to send the repair company—and why another gas top-up may not answer the problem.
Read guide →Air conditioning2 min read
Air-conditioning maintenance for a Costa Blanca property
Filters, drainage and a proper pre-season check can save discovering the problem on the first hot weekend.
Read guide →Air conditioning2 min read
Using a heat pump for winter on the Costa Blanca
If your Costa Blanca home feels colder inside than outside, look at the building before buying a bigger heater.
Read guide →Home maintenance
6 guidesHome maintenance3 min read
What to do before an emergency plumber arrives
Stop the damage, warn the neighbours and give the plumber a clear brief. The permanent repair can be discussed once the flow is controlled.
Read guide →Home maintenance2 min read
Low water pressure in Torrevieja: property or network?
One weak shower, an entire flat or the whole building? That difference matters before anyone recommends a pump.
Read guide →Home maintenance2 min read
Replacing an electric water heater on the Costa Blanca
A new cylinder needs to fit your usage, the wall and the plumbing—not simply match the label on the old one.
Read guide →Home maintenance2 min read
Pool maintenance on the Costa Blanca: a practical checklist
A pool can look inviting and still need attention. Test the water and check the equipment instead of dosing by eye.
Read guide →Home maintenance2 min read
Damp and mould in a coastal Spanish home: find the cause
Before paying for anti-mould paint, find out why the wall is wet. Different causes need different repairs.
Read guide →Home maintenance3 min read
Costa Blanca holiday-home maintenance checklist
Give your keyholder a specific job. ‘Keep an eye on it’ means different things to different people.
Read guide →