I have inherited a flat on the Costa del Sol: do I rent it to tourists, let it long term or sell it?
The first thing is not to decide: it is to get the inheritance in order. Then, three routes with their numbers. And a common trap when there are several heirs.
Reviewed on 22 September 2026 · By the team at Torremolinos Gestión Vacacional, more than ten years managing holiday rentals · Markdown version · Versión en español
Short answer: first of all, the inheritance must be accepted, taxes paid and registered at the Land Registry in the heirs' names; without that you cannot apply for the licence or sign anything. Then there are three routes: renting to tourists (more income, more management), long-term letting (less income, zero work) or selling. If there are several heirs, all of them must sign the same decision.
What has to be in order before thinking about renting?
- Deed of acceptance of inheritance and payment of Inheritance Tax (in Andalusia, with broad reliefs for children and spouse) and the municipal capital gains tax (plusvalía).
- Registration at the Land Registry in the heirs' names. The Junta asks for an up-to-date nota simple for the licence.
- Utilities in a living person's name: electricity, water, gas. It seems obvious; it gets forgotten.
- Status with the association: fees up to date, pending special levies and whether the by-laws say anything about tourist use.
What if there are several heirs?
It is the most common case and the one that causes most problems. To register the home as a tourist dwelling, the Junta asks you to tick "co-ownership" and a shared ownership annex signed by everyone. To sign with a manager, the same. In practice, it is advisable to:
- Appoint one as representative before the manager and the Junta, with a power of attorney or written authorisation.
- Open a joint account for income and expenses, with a clear split.
- Put in writing what happens if one wants to sell or use the flat.
A flat belonging to three siblings who cannot agree does not get rented: it stays empty paying association fees and IBI and, on top of that, taxed in each one's income tax as imputed income even though it does not earn a euro.
Which of the three routes suits me?
| Route | Money | Work | When it makes sense |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tourist | The most: €13,000-15,000 net a year for a well-located 4-place flat | High (or a manager at 15-20 %) | Flat near the beach or the centre; you want to keep it and use it sometimes |
| Long-term let | Whatever your area's market sets (about €12,000 a year if let at €1,000 a month), with a tax reduction | Almost none | Interior or distant flat; you do not want to deal with it; you will not use it |
| Sale | In one go, no income | None | You need the money now, you cannot agree or the flat needs a renovation nobody wants to pay for |
The numbers are detailed in Tourist or long-term? and in How much would my flat really earn?.
Can I rent it to tourists while we decide whether to sell?
Yes, and it is a sensible way for the flat to pay its expenses in the meantime: there is no lock-in with a manager and the licence can be deregistered whenever you want. Moreover, a flat with an active tourist licence and bookings often sells better than an empty one: the buyer sees a working business. We explain it in Should I buy a flat with a tourist licence?.
What about the tax office while it is empty?
An empty flat is not free: each heir declares on their income tax an imputed income (a percentage of the cadastral value) for the days the home is not rented. Renting it, in either of the two ways, turns that cost into income.