How much does a lawyer charge to draft a rental contract? 2026 prices

There is no single fee. As a guide, on the market a lawyer charges between €120 and €350 to draft a tailored residential rental contract, and less to review an existing one. But every case is different: reviewing a standard contract does not cost the same as negotiating a commercial lease or supporting you through a purchase.

That is why at Consultor y Abogado we adapt to you. We offer full flexibility on three things:

• The structure: fixed price, hourly, results-based or a combination of fixed and variable.
• The amount: adjusted to the real complexity of the matter and what is at stake.
• The payment method: in advance, on completion, on the day of signing or in instalments.

The first consultation is free. In it we look at your case and give you a written quote before starting, with no surprises.

A well-drafted rental contract goes beyond filling in a template. This is what we check:

• Checking the landlord: we obtain the land registry extract to confirm that whoever is renting to you is the owner (or has authority to do so) and to see whether the home has any charges.
• Deposit and guarantees: the legal deposit for a home is one month's rent. Additional guarantees are legally capped at two months' rent in residential contracts of up to 5 or 7 years, and many contracts ask for more.
• Rent updates: in contracts signed since 26 May 2023, the annual increase is capped by the IRAV index published by the INE, not the CPI.
• Allocation of costs: IBI, community fees, utilities and minor repairs, all in writing.
• Term, extensions and early exit: notice periods and penalties for leaving early.
• Inventory and condition of the home: the best guarantee of getting your deposit back.

If you want to see in more detail which clauses cause problems, we explain it on our rental contract page.

If you are a tenant: the usual thing is to review the contract offered by the landlord or the agency. It is the cheapest option and the one that protects you most, because it spots abusive clauses before you sign.

If you are a landlord: you need a tailored contract that protects you against non-payment, damage and early departures, and that complies with current law so that no clause is struck down.

If it is commercial premises or an office: the law leaves almost everything to what the parties agree (works, assignment, term, stepped rent). Here using a template is risky.

Think about what a badly drafted contract can cost you:

• A deposit that is not returned because there was no inventory: between €1,000 and €1,500 on an average Madrid flat.
• Guarantees above the legal limit that tie up your money for years.
• Costs that were not yours to pay (IBI, special levies, repairs) over five years of contract.
• A miscalculated rent increase that builds up year after year.
• Eviction or debt-claim proceedings, which cost far more than the contract.

Avoid just one of these problems and the consultation has already paid for itself several times over. A lawyer is not an expense: it is a saving.

If you are going to buy a home, we can link our fees to what we save you: for example, a portion based on the discount we obtain on the asking price. That way our interest is yours: that you pay as little as possible.

And no upfront payment if you prefer: you can pay on the day of signing or build it into the transaction so you make no separate outlay.

In any case, we only act for the buyer. If you want to know what we check in a purchase, read our article on how much a lawyer can save you when buying a flat.

A template may be enough if you are renting between acquaintances, for a short time and with nothing unusual. You need a lawyer if:

• You do not know the other party or an agency is renting to you with its own contract.
• You are asked for guarantees, bank guarantees or extra deposits.
• There is furniture, pending works, a garage or a storage room.
• It is commercial premises, an office or a rent-to-buy agreement.
• The rent is high or the contract will last several years.

If you want to compare fee structures (hourly, fixed price or results-based), we explain them in How much does a lawyer charge?

Further reading: what to check in your rental contract in Madrid and how much deposit they can ask for.