For landlords of residential property in Spain

Lease non-renewal notice from the landlord in Spain

If the landlord does not notify the tenant at least four months before the end date, a Spanish residential lease renews automatically, year by year, for up to three more years. This letter gives that notice in Spanish and leaves proof of its content and of the date it was received.

Use this template and sendOther templates

Spanish template: Comunicación de no renovación del contrato de alquiler de vivienda (arrendador)

What this letter is

Residential leases in Spain have a minimum term of five years, or seven if the landlord is a company (article 9 LAU). When that term ends, the lease renews automatically for one-year periods up to three more years unless one of the parties gives notice (article 10.1 LAU).

The landlord must give that notice at least four months before the end date. If it arrives late, or you cannot prove when it arrived, the lease renews. That is why the date of receipt matters as much as the content.

The letter also sets the date to hand back the keys, explains how the deposit will be returned and warns that staying on without a lease allows the landlord to claim eviction for expiry of the term.

When to use it

The lease reaches five years (seven if the landlord is a company) and you do not want it to renew automatically
The lease is already in its automatic renewal period and you want it to end when that period runs out
You, as an individual landlord, need the home for yourself or close family and the lease says so (article 9.3 LAU)
You want reliable proof of the date of the notice to avoid automatic renewal
As a step before an eviction claim for expiry of the term, if the tenant does not leave

What information you need

The guided form asks for the following. Field labels in the form are in Spanish (shown in italics): write names, amounts and dates as they should appear in the letter, and any free text in Spanish. You will also need the recipient's email address.

City where the letter is issuedCiudad de emisión
Date of the letter, written out in full (e.g. 14 de septiembre de 2026)Fecha de emisión
Your reference for the lease (e.g. the property address)Referencia del contrato
Landlord's name or company name (the sender)Nombre o razón social del arrendador (quien envía)
Landlord's DNI, NIE or CIFDNI / NIE / CIF del arrendador
Landlord's address for noticesDomicilio del arrendador a efectos de notificaciones
Tenant's full name (all tenants, if several signed)Nombre completo del arrendatario
Tenant's DNI or NIEDNI / NIE del arrendatario
Full address of the rented homeDirección completa de la vivienda arrendada
Date of the leaseFecha del contrato de arrendamiento
End date of the term or of the renewal periodFecha de vencimiento del plazo o de la prórroga
Reason: end of the term, end of the automatic renewal, or landlord's need for the homeMotivo de la no renovación
Date for handing back the keysFecha de entrega de llaves
Name and, if applicable, position of the person signingNombre y, en su caso, cargo de quien firma

What the letter says

Summary in English. The letter you send is in Spanish.

Notice of non-renewal: States formally that the landlord will not renew the residential lease, identifying the lease, the property and the parties.
Facts and reason: Gives the date of the lease and the reason you chose: end of the minimum term, end of the automatic renewal period, or the landlord's need for the home under article 9.3 LAU. It states the date on which the lease ends.
Return of the property: Asks the tenant to hand over the home and all keys on the date you set, empty and in the condition it was received, apart from normal wear. It announces an inspection record and the settlement of utilities, and explains that the deposit will be returned within one month of the keys being handed back, less any lawful deductions (article 36.4 LAU).
Warning: Explains that, once the lease has ended, staying in the home has no legal basis and the landlord may claim eviction for expiry of the term (article 250.1.1 LEC), plus the amounts accrued until possession is returned and costs.

Before you send it

Send it with time to spare: the letter must be received at least four months before the end date (two months if you rely on article 9.3).
If the home is in an area declared a stressed housing market, or the tenant is in a vulnerable situation, the tenant may be entitled to an extraordinary extension (article 10.2 and 10.3 LAU). Check this before sending.
If several tenants signed the lease, name all of them.
Tenant wanting to leave? There is a separate template for tenants (in Spanish).

Legal basis

Articles 9, 10 and 36.4 of Law 29/1994 on Urban Leases (LAU), as amended by Royal Decree-law 7/2019 and Law 12/2023 on the right to housing; article 250.1.1 of Law 1/2000 on Civil Procedure (LEC); articles 1561 and 1563 of the Spanish Civil Code.

Template for guidance only. We recommend review by a lawyer before sending. Probalex does not provide legal advice.

Frequently asked questions

What happens if the notice arrives less than four months before the end date?

The lease renews automatically for one year, and so on up to three years (article 10.1 LAU). That is why proof of the date of receipt is essential.

Can I end the lease early because I need the home?

Only if you are an individual landlord, at least one year has passed, the need was stated expressly in the lease and you give at least two months' notice (article 9.3 LAU). The template includes this option.

The tenant does not have email. What can I do?

Probalex delivers by certified email only. If you only have a postal address, use a postal burofax: we do not send paper letters.