GIPE Newsletter (Nº 24.183) September, 23th 2025

LEASES:

Appliance Transfer

Incorporating furniture and appliances into a rental property can be attractive for those seeking to rent it, but it can also become a source of inconvenience. The landlord would be responsible for both repairs due to breakdowns and the replacement of items that reach the end of their useful life.

For this reason, it is advisable to specify that the lease does not include furniture or appliances, and that the rent has been set without taking them into consideration.

It should be clarified that the use of these items is granted to the tenant free of charge, with the landlord assuming no responsibility for their repair or replacement; this decision remains at the tenant’s sole discretion.

It is also important to clarify that if the tenant decides to renew or replace any of these appliances during the term of the contract, the new ones will become their property. However, they must inform the landlord if they wish to have the old ones removed, if they are interested in keeping them.

In short,  to ensure that the owner is not responsible for repairs, it must be expressly stated that the appliances are not part of the lease agreement and are only transferred free of charge to the tenant, who is required to notify the tenant if any changes are made to them.

REAL ESTATE SALE:

It’s still in my grandfather’s name…

In a real estate purchase, the seller was forced to return double the deposit to the buyer because, upon the date scheduled for the execution of the deed, the property was still not registered in his name in the Registry. The property was still registered in the name of his deceased grandparents.

To avoid this type of situation, it can be agreed that, if the property is still not registered in the seller’s name on the date set for signing, the buyer has the right to recover only the amount paid as a deposit (without doubling it) or, if they prefer, to acquire the property under the conditions stated in the Registry.

HOMEOWNERS’ COMMUNTIES:

There was no president!

A homeowner requested the annulment of the agreements adopted at several neighborhood meetings, claiming that they were held without the community having appointed a chairperson. However, the request was rejected [AP Bilbao 28-04-2025], as the failure to appoint a chairperson does not invalidate the meetings or the agreements reached therein.

GIPE:  Together we will stronger