Many buyers count on a few weeks of summer letting to help pay for their second home. That is a perfectly valid plan on the Costa Brava, on one condition: factor in the Catalan rules before buying, not after.
Holiday letting: a licensing system
In Catalonia, letting a home short term to holidaymakers requires registration as a habitatge d'ús turístic (HUT), with a number that must appear on every listing. The problem: many tourist towns have introduced moratoriums or quotas and no longer issue new licences, or only a trickle. The rules have tightened in recent years and are still changing, notably with licences granted for a limited, renewable period.
What it means for your purchase
In towns with quotas, a property sold with its HUT licence is objectively worth more than an identical one without: it gives access to rental income the neighbour can no longer get. Conversely, buying with the plan of applying for a licence afterwards has become risky in many areas. We systematically check the property's status, whether its licence is valid and transferable, and the town's policy.
The alternative: long-term letting
Letting for a year or on a medium-term basis does not require a tourist licence. The framework is Spanish tenancy law, with rent controls in some areas classed as high-pressure. Returns are lower than for holiday lets, but income is stable and management simpler.
And tax?
Rental income is declared in Spain (modelo 210), with deductible expenses for EU residents. It also falls within your French reporting obligations, with the tax treaty avoiding double taxation.
Letting can fund a good part of your project, as long as you choose the property and the town with your eyes open. Everything is decided upfront.
