MTS Relocation Company - Your personal shopper for your home. MTS email contact: mts@mtsrelocationspain.com

We have hired a relocation specialist to help you look for housing. They will contact you to assign a Counsellor that will guide you through the whole process. They will assist you with expectations, neighborhoods, price ranges, etc. 

MTS and ASM encourage you to find a home virtually. MTS have a lot of experience and more and more people are using this service nowadays. However, if you prefer to do the search in person, you can. Virtual home finding does not include any visits in person or any MTS representative at the time of check in. 

Pre-Departure Orientation Call

• Understand client needs, requirements and expectations of the clients as well as to work immediately work on point on home search and arrival and settling-in package. 

Home Search - Long-term accommodation: (2 different options)

1. Service A: Without visits (all online/before arrival)

2. Service B: With visits (upon arrival in person/max. 6 visits within 2 days)

Arrival and Settling-In Package

• Empadronamiento or town hall registration - Filling of documentation once housing contract is signed/scheduling of appointment + guidance. (This is necessary to do within the first month from your arrival date for Visa purposes).

• Orientation "New Home" - Neighborhood, Transportation, Culture, etc.

• Opening of a Spanish bank account - providing options and connecting the client with the bank

• Support with important insurance (health, home, automobiles, etc.)

• Creation of a Public Transportation Card

• Setup support regarding SIM and Internet

• Contracting of supplies (water, gas, electricity) for your new home

• Contract review and explication/communication support with landlord/agency

The following information will help you be prepared for what it means, financially speaking, to move overseas:

Payments - initial payments when renting a home

• 1-3 month deposit (fianza): this amount will be refunded at the end of the lease if there are no damages and no outstanding payments. 

• Real Estate Agency fee (if home listing is through an Agency): 1-month rent + 21% of VAT(tax). This cost should be covered by the tenant. Sometimes this is called an Administrative fee from the Real Estate Agency that lists the home. 

• Monthly rent 

Details on payments to help prepare for payments: 

• You need to have this money ready when you start visiting properties in person. It is best to have it available before your arrival if it is online, Properties don't last long in the market and the money needs to be transferred ASAP to secure a place.

• You need to tell your bank specifically to charge you for all the transaction fees. Otherwise, the recipient will not receive the full amount and it would be considered a breach of the agreement between the parties

• If you receive a transition allowance, it will be deposited into your Spanish bank account towards the end of August, contingent upon your arrival in Madrid (taxes will be deducted). You will receive your first paycheck on Sept 25. Keep this in mind to plan your finances and have the money for the deposit and rent of the house when you find what you like.

Contracts

• The duration of the lease contract is 1 year, automatically renewable up to 5 or 7 years

• The minimum stay without penalty is usually 6 months although some owners request 1 year

• The tenant can stay up to 5 years. The landlord can't cancel the contract EXCEPT if after one year he/she needs the property for themselves or a 1st-degree family member (and they need to prove it) 

Shipping to Spain can be expensive and complicated. Customs often hold shipments and require additional taxes before releasing your belongings. Due to these challenges, ASM does not assist with shipping, nor can the school receive packages on your behalf. If you choose to ship your belongings, it is necessary that you wait to have your residence in Madrid and your ID card (NIE). 

Key Considerations:

• Upon arrival in Madrid, you must find housing, register with the city hall, and attend a police appointment for fingerprinting to obtain your residence card (NIE).

• The earliest you will receive your physical NIE card is September or October, depending on your arrival date.

• A copy of your NIE card is required by shipping companies before they can proceed with delivery.

Shipping Recommendations:

• If you decide to ship belongings, you must provide a personal delivery address in Madrid. ASM cannot be used as the delivery address for Customs reasons.

• We strongly recommend waiting to ship your belongings until you have secured housing and can provide your future home address.

MTS will assist you with your Internet setup. However, this is a process and it is not immediate. It depends on the Internet company's availability and the particular access for the location. You can consult your MTS contact for more information should you need it. 

Can I get a head start on finding an apartment?

We have a contract with MTS, a relocation company. They will be contacting you early spring and will help with all of your housing needs.

In the meantime, you can check Idealista or Fotocasa, online platforms where you can see the type of housing that it's available and the prices for different housing options, neighborhoods, etc.

Are the apartments furnished?

Most apartments for rent in Madrid are furnished or have basic furnishing. In the listing, if an apartment is furnished, it will show the term "amueblado", and usually it will specify the items that the apartment has as part of the furniture. In most rental apartments furnished or unfurnished, there are the basic machines such as a refrigerator, a washing machine (not a dryer), a heater or heating system. Some apartments include kitchen basics like dishes, pots and pans.  

How much are utilities?

Utilities normally average 100 euros a month, depending on your usage. However, prices have gone up recently and it depends on the companies you have selected. If you include all utility bills (water, electricity, gas, phone, and internet), according to feedback from the expat community, you can expect to pay monthly:

• Studio or 1 bedroom apartment: 100€ on average

• 2 bedroom apartment: 150€ on average

• 3+ bedroom apartment or house: 200€ on average, leaning towards 300 € for houses

How many days are allocated to visit homes? 2 days

• The rental market in Madrid is very dynamic so it is important to be fast and efficient when settling on a place. 

• Ideally, the visit day is arranged about 20 days before you would like to be living in the property.

• No owner will reserve a property without you paying the rent almost immediately. Reservations are only held when the initial down payments have been paid. 

Town Hall Registration - Ayuntamiento

For this procedure, you must have a lease contract signed and in force. MTS will set up the appointment and assist you but your presence will be required.