What I learned helping foreigners rent apartments and register their address in Spain

One of the situations I see most often when working with international students and expatriates is always the same: finding a place to live seems like the hardest part until the paperwork begins.

Many people believe that simply having a rental contract will automatically allow them to register their address (“empadronarse”) without any issues, but the reality is that small details can lead the town hall to reject the application or request additional documentation.

After helping many people through this process, there are certain things I always recommend checking before signing a contract.

1. Make sure the contract is complete

It may sound basic, but I’ve seen contracts without signatures, without the landlord’s identification, or even without the full address of the property.

Before signing, check that the contract includes:

• Full name and ID document of both parties

• Exact address of the property

• Contract duration

• Rent price and conditions

• Signatures of everyone involved

2. The contract duration matters more than many people think

One thing that causes a lot of confusion is the minimum contract length.

Although temporary contracts are legally valid, in many town halls a very short contract can create problems when registering your address or may lead them to request additional documents.

In practice, contracts with at least 6 months’ duration are often recommended to avoid administrative complications.

This does not mean they will always reject shorter contracts, because it depends on the town hall and each individual case, but it is definitely something worth checking before signing.

3. The cadastral reference can make a difference

More and more town halls are requesting that the rental contract include the property’s cadastral reference number, especially for address registration procedures.

In many cases, the contract is still legally valid even without it, but administratively it can cause delays or complications.

That’s why I always recommend asking for it to be included from the beginning.

4. Not all contracts work the same way for address registration

This is where many people are surprised.

There are temporary contracts, room rentals, subleases, or contracts under another person’s name that may require additional documentation, such as:

• Authorization from the main tenant or owner

• Copy of their DNI/NIE

• Signed forms

• Proof of residence documents

And each town hall may ask for something different.

5. Address registration is not “just paperwork”

Many people do not realize that the padrón certificate is necessary for:

• Obtaining a healthcare card

• Immigration procedures

• Permit renewals

• Opening certain administrative processes

• Proving residency in Spain

That’s why it’s important to do things properly from the start.

6. My most important advice

If something feels unusual in the contract, it is probably worth reviewing before signing.

Sometimes, because of the urgency of finding housing — especially when arriving from another country people accept unclear conditions or incomplete documents.

And fixing those issues later is usually much more complicated.

At Nomadesco, we support students and expatriates throughout the entire process so that moving to Spain becomes much easier and far less stressful.