Wintering on the Costa Blanca: Long term rentals tips

The Costa Blanca in Spain is ideal for long term rentals due to its mild temperatures well into the winter months. Due to the very warm Mediterranean Sea in this region, which also gives off the temperature at night, and the numerous hours of sunshine during the day, the temperature never falls below 10 C° / 50 F even in the coldest nights. Especially in the south of Costa Blanca in the region of Alicante there is a pleasant and mild microclimate due to the special geographical location. Perfect for wintering.

Most holiday homes are free during the winter time and some holiday home owners offer very attractive conditions for long-term lettings during the winter months. You should plan between 350 to 900 £/ month depending on the equipment of the flat and your water and energy consumption. For this, you will get excellent rental offers close to the beach on the Costa Blanca.

What should you look out for when renting a holiday home on the Costa Blanca over the winter months? – 10 expert tips:

1. Heat to a comfortable temperature: most houses in the region are not insulated and despite the mild temperatures, it can feel cold indoors. Many heat with their air conditioners, which are equipped with inverter technology and can cool as well as heat. Some properties have a fireplace, here you should enquire beforehand whether fuel is available or where it can be purchased. In addition, there are small electric fan heaters in almost every household that can be switched on selectively. In some properties, infrared heaters are increasingly being installed, mostly on the wall, to provide pleasant warmth in the living area.
2. Caution extra costs! Due to the increase in energy costs, many long-term rental offers no longer automatically include these costs, but charge them separately, depending on consumption, or as an additional flat rate.
3. Legal aspects – most offers exclude rentals of more than six months, because after six months the legal situation changes for the tenant and the property owner. Here, the rights of the tenant in particular are greatly strengthened, while the property owner has to bear a greater risk for possible loss of rent.
4. While a garage is almost indispensable in the summer months because the heat heats up the car extremely and the resorts are very crowded and you cannot find a parking space, in winter it is absolutely no problem to find a parking space in the typical resorts close to the beach. Rentals without parking are therefore often not a problem.
5. Mobility! Look for accommodation where you can manage without a car if necessary. It is true that renting a car is much cheaper in the low season than in the high season. However, the costs are enormous if, for example, you have to rent a car for 2 months. Some car rental companies have special offers for long-term rentals – it is best to ask the rental company directly.
6. Sorry closed! Many leisure facilities, restaurants and attractions that are popular in the summer months are closed in the winter months. If you are renting for a long period on the Costa Blanca, ask your landlord about the situation in the low season. Most pools are not heated and are closed. The beach bars usually close on 31.10. and bus lines and local transport such as a tourist train also do not run in the winter season. Make sure you can get food locally. Places such as Gran Alacant in the Alicante region, for example, are well supplied with restaurants, shopping, doctors and bus connections even during the winter months.
7. Activities! Swimming in the sea is possible until the end of November / middle of December. Long-term tenants from Scandinavia in particular know the North Sea and Baltic Sea in summer. The water temperatures are over 18 C° / 65 F until mid-December and are quite suitable for swimming in the sea. Remember that the rentals of sunbeds on the beach are usually already closed at this time. Ask your landlord for an umbrella or sun lounger that you can use on the beach if necessary.
8. Save money! Negotiate for longer rentals – the typical long-term rental of holiday properties is about four weeks. Often the host will give you an additional discount if you want to rent for more than eight weeks.
9. Keep an eye to extra costs! Costs of final cleaning, in some cases the costs of a final cleaning can be higher than normal for a longer stay – fees of several hundred euros for a final cleaning can be agreed. Check the additional costs carefully before renting a home on the Costa Blanca for several weeks.
10. What other’s say! Read the public reviews of the holiday home. Of course, most reviews are done in summer and very few in winter. Nevertheless, you can find out a lot about the flat and the surrounding area from the reviews. From a certain number (50+) you can usually also assume that it is not just the reviews of friends and family 😉

Finally – most offers for a long-term rental on the Costa Blanca are arranged via Airbnb. However, you won’t find the really cheap offers there. A quick call or email to the local rental agencies is guaranteed to help you find a better deal. This is because many hosts who rent in the summer have optimised their process for the summer – winter rentals, however, are different because you often only need one or two tenants. There is also a lot of trust involved – because most property owners only want to rent to trustworthy or known people over a long period of time. The fear that the flat will have to be completely renovated afterwards is too great, to put it exaggeratedly. It is perfect if you have already rented the flat for a week in the summer, the host knows you and has seen that everything was ok. Then there is usually nothing standing in the way of a long-term rental direct from the owner at Costa Blanca.

Call us (english / spanish / german speaking) today or write an e-mail for long term rentals in Gran Alacant / Alicante / Costa Blanca – we will help you to find your next accommodation from November to March!