Renting a home with a garage and storage room: what to check in the contract when they are ancillary
If you are going to rent a home that includes a garage, storage room, or both, it is worth making very clear whether they form part of the tenancy, how they may be used and what happens if disagreements arise later. This article helps you review the contract before signing.
When the garage and storage room form part of the rent
When renting a home, it is not always clear whether the parking space and storage room are leased as part of the same contract or whether they are separate elements. The Urban Tenancies Act expressly includes within a residential tenancy not only the home itself, but also the furniture, storage rooms, parking spaces and other premises, spaces or services transferred as ancillary by the same landlord. That means that, if the contract includes them as ancillary items, they should not later be treated as an informal extra or a mere courtesy. The legal basis is in article 2.2 of the LAU: Ley 29/1994, de Arrendamientos Urbanos.
That said, the fact that the law mentions them does not remove the need to review the contract carefully. The document should clearly state:
1. Whether the garage and storage room are included in the tenancy.
2. Whether they are leased together with the home or through a separate clause.
3. Exactly what use is permitted for each annex.
4. Whether the advertised price includes those spaces or whether a different price has been agreed.
What you should check before signing
Before signing, the safest approach is to read the contract as if the parking space and storage room were small units within the rent. The usual risk is not only the price, but also the lack of precision. If a dispute later arises, anything that has not been properly defined may lead to unnecessary disagreement.
Useful steps:
1. Review the description of the property.
Check that the contract identifies the home and, where relevant, the parking space and storage room clearly enough.
2. Verify that the landlord is entitled to transfer them.
If the same owner cannot dispose of those spaces, they should not promise them as part of the rent.
3. Confirm whether the use is exclusive.
It should be clear whether only you may use the parking space or storage room, or whether there is some specific limitation.
4. Check the total price and the concepts included.
The contract should state whether the rent covers the whole package or whether there is a separate item.
5. Read the clause on maintenance and liability.
It is worth specifying who is responsible for remote controls, keys, fobs, access cards or damage.
Common mistakes when renting a home with annexes
There are recurring mistakes that later make handing back the keys or ending the contract more complicated.
- **Failing to describe the parking space accurately.** If the contract does not identify the number or location, there may later be doubts about which one has been rented.
- **Not clarifying whether the storage room is included.** Sometimes they are mentioned in the commercial offer, but not in the contract.
- **Assuming that the price includes everything.** If the contract does not say so expressly, what was actually agreed may later be disputed.
- **Not specifying who pays for access items.** Remote controls, cards, spare keys or replacements should be regulated.
- **Not distinguishing between an annex and a service.** An ancillary space is not the same as an additional service, and it is best not to mix the two.
How to put it in writing to avoid problems
If you are the owner and want to rent out a home with a garage or storage room, the safest approach is to set this out clearly and understandably. If you are the tenant, ask for the contract to reflect exactly what is being offered. The less it depends on messages or verbal comments, the less room there will be for misunderstandings.
You can follow these steps:
1. Identify each annex in its own clause.
2. State whether the rent is a single amount or whether it is itemised.
3. Add the parking space number, the specific storage room and, where applicable, the building's internal reference.
4. Regulate the handover of remote controls, keys and cards.
5. Make it clear what happens to those items when the contract ends.
If, in addition, the home is rented by rooms, on a temporary basis or with special accessories, it is worth checking even more carefully that the contract does not mix different legal categories. The LAU distinguishes between a primary residence tenancy, a temporary tenancy and a tenancy for a use other than housing, and that difference matters when knowing which regime applies in each case.
When it is worth asking for professional review
There is no need to complicate a straightforward rental, but it is advisable to ask for a review if any of these situations apply:
- the garage is in another property or under another title deed;
- the storage room is not clearly shown in the offer;
- the rent has been agreed with separate items;
- there are several owners or a community with specific access rules;
- the contract mixes housing, annexes and other services.
In those cases, a professional reading helps prevent something ancillary from ending up as the main dispute.
If you would like us to review your case or assess the documentation before signing, you can book an appointment at Contact or request an indicative online valuation. The estimate is provided with a price range, PDF report and the option of an optional visit. You can also find us at our real office at Montesa 29, Madrid, Monday to Friday from 10:00 to 15:00 and from 16:00 to 19:00.