# 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.
>
> Topic: Before you start · Reviewed: 2026-09-22 · URL: https://mipisoturistico.app/en/guides/i-have-inherited-a-flat-on-the-costa-del-sol-rent-it-to-tourists-let-it-or-sell-it
> Published by Mi Piso Turístico (Torremolinos Gestión Vacacional), a holiday-rental management company on the Costa del Sol.

**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?

1. **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*).
2. **Registration at the Land Registry** in the heirs' names. The Junta asks for an up-to-date nota simple for the licence.
3. **Utilities in a living person's name**: electricity, water, gas. It seems obvious; it gets forgotten.
4. **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?](/guias/turistico-o-larga-duracion) and in [How much would my flat really earn?](/guias/cuanto-gana-un-piso-turistico).

## 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?](/guias/comprar-piso-con-licencia-turistica).

## 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.

## Sources

- [Junta de Andalucía: several owners per home (shared ownership annex) in the FAQ (in Spanish)](https://www.juntadeandalucia.es/organismos/turismojusticiadesregulacionyadministracionlocal/areas/turismo/registro-turismo/establecimientos-servicios/paginas/faq-viviendas-turismo.html)
- [Spanish Tax Agency: income from real estate capital and imputed income (in Spanish)](https://sede.agenciatributaria.gob.es/Sede/ayuda/manuales-videos-folletos/manuales-practicos/irpf-2024/c04-rendimientos-capital-inmobiliario.html)