Relocating executives, housing employees, or establishing an office in Valencia involves far more than choosing the right address. Spanish owners, agencies, and legal authorities require clear evidence of solvency, proper corporate identity, and compliance with Spanish leasing and visa frameworks. At Livin’Valencia, we bring precision and structure to this process. Our due diligence ensures that your company — whether based in the EU or beyond — meets all legal, fiscal, and practical requirements before signing a lease. We verify every document, align the lease type with your intended use, and pre-screen properties where owners welcome corporate and international tenants.

Our goal is simple: to make your corporate renting in Valencia or employee relocation fully compliant, transparent, and risk-free.

Defining the Lease Type: “Housing” or “Use Other Than Housing”

Spanish law distinguishes clearly between leases intended for residential use (“vivienda habitual”) and those for commercial or professional purposes (“uso distinto de vivienda”). This classification affects the legal framework, taxes, guarantees, and the tenant’s rights.

When a company rents an office or commercial space, the contract falls under uso distinto de vivienda. It is typically signed directly by the company, requires a two-month legal deposit, and allows more contractual freedom regarding duration, renewal, and guarantees. In this type of contract, there is no legally imposed minimum or maximum duration — the term is freely agreed between the parties. In practice, three-, five- or ten-year leases are common for offices, often with clauses allowing early termination or renewal by mutual consent. This flexibility allows companies, whether EU-based or non-EU, to align their lease with operational or project timelines.

When a company rents a residential property — for an executive, a team member, or a family relocating under a visa — the situation depends on the tenant’s residency status.

• If the lease is classified as vivienda habitual (a primary residence), it must comply with the Ley de Arrendamientos Urbanos (LAU). Even if the initial term agreed is 11 months, one year, or two years, the law grants the tenant the right to extend the lease up to five years if the landlord is an individual, or seven years if the landlord is a legal entity (company).

• This type of lease is often required by Spanish immigration authorities when applying for Non-Lucrative, Work, or Digital Nomad visas, since it proves stable long-term accommodation.

• For companies renting on behalf of employees, Livin’Valencia ensures that the lease structure and name on the contract are consistent with visa and residency requirements.

Shorter contracts, such as “11-month leases,” are often used for temporary stays (alquiler de temporada), but they must include clear justification — such as a defined project duration or a non-resident visa context. Otherwise, if the property is in fact used as a habitual home, the law automatically reclassifies it as a long-term residential lease with the corresponding rights.

We advise on this distinction carefully, ensuring that each lease — whether commercial or residential — fits the company’s real situation, complies with Spanish law, and supports any visa or residency requirements for the employees involved.

Corporate Identity, Representation and Documentation — Renting on Behalf of Employees

Spanish owners and agencies require a company renting property — whether for office use or to house employees — to be formally identifiable. This applies both to companies establishing a legal presence in Spain and to those managing employee housing remotely from abroad.

For EU companies, the process is simpler: you can rent property in Spain with your existing corporate documents, provided they are translated and legalized where necessary. You’ll need to appoint a legal representative in Spain, typically with a NIF (Número de Identificación Fiscal) for tax purposes.

For non-EU companies, obtaining a Spanish NIF for the entity or the representative is essential. This enables payment of rent, registration of utilities, and contract execution. The NIF can be obtained through the Agencia Tributaria with appropriate corporate documents and a power of attorney.

Livin’Valencia coordinates this process and ensures that your company’s documentation is complete, accepted by agencies and owners, and properly formatted for bilingual negotiation.

A complete corporate dossier usually includes:

• Certificate of incorporation and bylaws
• Updated certificate of directors or representatives
• Power of attorney for the person signing in Spain
• Passport or NIE of the legal representative
• Corporate NIF (Spanish tax ID)
• Recent balance sheet or audited accounts
• Bank reference letter confirming solvency
• Parent company guarantee (if applicable)

Even when your company does not open a Spanish branch but simply sends employees to work remotely or temporarily, you will still need to handle rental payments, utilities, and deposits under a verifiable tax identity. We make sure those obligations are correctly structured and compliant.

Guarantees and Security Requirements

In the corporate rental market, landlords often ask for additional guarantees to ensure payment reliability. These may include:

• A refundable deposit (one or two months, depending on contract type)
• An additional private guarantee (usually two to four months)
• A corporate bank guarantee (aval bancario) from a Spanish or EU bank
• Or, in residential cases, a rent insurance policy (seguro de impago) — though some insurers only accept Spanish-based income

At Livin’Valencia, we help you determine the most efficient and compliant option based on your corporate structure. We negotiate reasonable guarantees, minimizing tied-up capital while keeping the landlord secure and confident in your company’s solvency.

When the Employee Rents Directly — A Simplified Alternative

In some situations, particularly when the company prefers not to register a Spanish tax identity or wishes to simplify administration, the lease can be signed directly by the employee as a private tenant (arrendatario particular).

In this case, the property is rented under standard residential tenancy law (LAU, vivienda habitual), with the employee as the tenant and the company providing a housing allowance or direct reimbursement. The employee pays the rent, deposit, and utilities, while the company covers or reimburses the cost according to internal HR policy.

This solution is entirely legal, commonly used by multinationals, start-ups, and NGOs, and often preferred when relocating non-EU employees or digital nomads who must show a personal lease as part of their visa or residency application.

It simplifies compliance, avoids corporate registration in Spain, and remains fully aligned with Spanish rental and immigration law — provided the lease names the employee as tenant and the financial arrangement is transparent.

Advantages

• Avoids Spanish corporate registration: The company does not need a NIF, power of attorney, or to appear as a contracting party.
• Simplifies negotiations: Landlords are often more comfortable with a natural person as tenant than with a foreign legal entity.
• Complies with visa requirements: For most residence or work visas, the lease must show the applicant (employee) as tenant anyway. This is the case for Non-Lucrative, Work, Family, and Digital Nomad visas.
• Fewer fiscal implications: The company avoids direct tax exposure or property management obligations in Spain.

Points to Consider

If the company still wants control or security (e.g., preventing lease termination without notice), a tripartite clause can be added — the lease names the employee as tenant, but the company appears as guarantor or as paying party (pagador designado). Livin’Valencia can coordinate this structure with the landlord to ensure compliance.Agency Fees and Responsibilities

The employee becomes legally responsible for payments and obligations under the lease. If the company reimburses the rent, this must be managed as part of payroll or expenses policy.

For long-term stays, the company may wish to formalize this arrangement in an internal housing policy or a side letter confirming that rent is reimbursed but the lease remains personal.

For EU-based companies seconding staff, it’s often acceptable. For non-EU companies, this approach is even more advisable, since Spanish landlords and agencies typically prefer working with identifiable individuals rather than offshore entities.

In Spain, for residential leases signed by individuals (vivienda habitual), agency fees are normally paid by the landlord. However, when a lease is signed by a company or falls under uso distinto de vivienda, the parties can freely agree on who pays the agency fee.

In Valencia, it is still common for corporate tenants — especially foreign entities — to pay one month’s rent or 10% of the annual rent as an agency fee. We always clarify this before viewings so that your HR or finance department can budget accurately and avoid surprises.

Licensing and Permits for Offices

Renting office space in Valencia requires compliance with local urban regulations. Before signing, we verify that the premises are legally designated for office or commercial use. Depending on the activity, you may need a responsible declaration (declaración responsable de apertura) or, for more complex uses, an activity licence (licencia ambiental).

If minor works or adaptations are needed (partitions, signage, accessibility adjustments), our local partners handle the technical review, licensing, and coordination with the Ayuntamiento de Valencia. This integration of legal, technical, and operational due diligence prevents delays and ensures that your lease terms match your operational start date.

Housing for Executives and Employees

For companies renting housing on behalf of executives or teams, the legal classification of the lease is critical. Immigration authorities reviewing visa or residency applications require that the lease:

• Is registered under vivienda habitual (long-term residential)
• Covers at least one year, with renewal rights
• Includes the employee or family as official occupants

Livin’Valencia structures these leases correctly so they meet both legal and immigration requirements. We verify ownership, ensure the property complies with local housing standards, and that the landlord accepts international tenants and corporate representation.

This process applies equally to EU and non-EU employees — but for non-EU nationals under Work or Digital Nomad visas, the lease type and duration are essential evidence during the visa application. Our legal partners coordinate directly with immigration lawyers to make sure the lease documentation aligns with the employee’s residency process.

Visa Context: Digital Nomad and Work Visas

Spain’s Digital Nomad Visa allows non-EU professionals to live in Spain while working remotely for companies outside Spain. To qualify, the worker must demonstrate:

• A valid employment or freelance contract with a non-Spanish company
• At least one year of professional activity
• Income above roughly €2,760 per month for the main applicant (plus increments for dependents)
• Health insurance covering Spain
• A clean criminal record certificate
• Proof of accommodation in Spain — typically a long-term residential lease compliant with Spanish law

For employees relocated under Spanish Work Visas or intra-company transfer permits, the requirements include:

• A Spanish or EU-registered employer
• A work contract with a defined role and salary in line with Spanish standards
• Social Security registration in Spain
• Proof of housing (lease, title, or company accommodation contract)

We ensure that your company’s housing agreements for relocated staff comply fully with visa standards, making the immigration and settlement process seamless.

Livin’Valencia’s Corporate Due Diligence Approach

• We assemble and verify all corporate documentation — both for Spanish registration and property negotiation.
• We pre-screen landlords and agencies for openness to foreign corporate or non-EU tenants.
• We coordinate NIF and representative appointments for both EU and non-EU entities.
• We structure lease terms to match your operational and immigration context.
• We coordinate office licensing, employee housing leases, and guarantee structures.
• We review and translate contracts, ensuring that English and Spanish versions match.

Our work bridges legal, financial, and operational compliance — helping HR, finance, and legal departments operate with full transparency and control.

Summary

Corporate renting in Valencia — whether for an office, an executive apartment, or team housing — requires structure, documentation, and precise due diligence. The rules differ slightly for EU and non-EU companies, but preparation is the key to success.

At Livin’Valencia, we ensure every element — from your company NIF to the employee lease and visa coordination — is verified and aligned before you sign. Owners approve faster, guarantees are fair, and your operations can start on schedule.

If your company is planning to expand, relocate staff, or open offices in Valencia, schedule a video call with Livin’Valencia. We’ll help you build a compliant corporate dossier, structure your leases strategically, and ensure your employees settle in smoothly — legally, safely, and without delays.