The rent in an advert doesn't tell you how much you'll need to move in. The first month's rent, fianza, additional guarantees and reservation payments can all appear in the initial bill. Ask for them separately so you know which payments are rent, which are refundable security and which charges you need to question.
The fianza and other upfront payments
For an ordinary habitual-home tenancy, Article 36 of the LAU sets the fianza at one month's rent. Other uses have different rules. Any additional guarantee needs to be identified separately and checked against the limits for your contract.
If you pay a reservation before signing, its terms should say when it is refundable and how it is credited if the tenancy goes ahead. A receipt with only ‘deposit’ and a total makes it difficult to understand which obligation the money covers.
A new name does not settle an agency fee
For a habitual-home tenancy, the LAU places estate-agency management and contract-formalisation costs on the landlord. If you're asked to pay for a mandatory ‘tenant service’ or ‘personal shopper’, ask exactly what you are buying and whether you can decline it.
A genuinely optional service is a different proposition from a fee you must pay to get the keys. Don't settle a disputed charge on the strength of the agent's label. Get the terms in writing and seek independent advice before paying if the explanation doesn't hold together.
Your phone is useful on key day
Photograph the walls, furniture, appliances, keys and meters. Include the scuffed door and the stain under the sink, not just the rooms that look nice. Send the record to the owner and get it acknowledged.
This is what gives you something to point to months later. Normal wear, existing damage and damage you caused are different things; without a starting record, the argument can become your memory against theirs.
Leave a record when you leave the home
Give the notice your contract and the law require, arrange a recorded key return, and keep final readings and your forwarding details. Ask for any deductions to be explained with supporting evidence.
Article 36 says an unpaid deposit balance starts accruing legal interest one month after the keys are returned. Keep your requests in writing. ‘I'll sort it next week’ is easy to repeat when there is no dated record of what was promised.
Before you go ahead
- You have a separate amount and explanation for each payment.
- The receipt identifies the home and what the money is for.
- The owner has acknowledged the starting condition record.
- You can show when notice was given and keys returned.
- Any disputed deduction or unpaid balance is being pursued in writing.
Common questions
Can a landlord ask for more than one month?
The statutory fianza for a habitual home is generally one month, but an additional guarantee may also be agreed within legal limits. Ask for the two concepts to be separated in writing.
Who deposits the fianza with the regional authority?
That administrative duty rests with the landlord. The tenant should retain proof of what was paid and can ask for confirmation of the deposit process.
People are talking about this
A few Reddit discussions behind this guide. These are personal accounts; they aren't a measure of how often it happens.
Renters regularly ask whether a compulsory ‘personal shopper’ or service agreement is simply an agency fee under another name. Read the discussion
Sources and further reading
Official information checked on 12 October 2026. Rules and procedures can change; verify the live source for your exact circumstances.