My Experience with Spotahome - Beware of Hidden Rental Costs I want to share my recent experience with Spotahome so other renters can make informed decisions before booking. I found a room through Spotahome and proceeded with the booking based on the advertised monthly rent. After the booking process, I discovered that I was required to pay an additional €1,100 before move-in: * €350 security deposit * €750 administration fee While Spotahome later showed me screenshots indicating these charges were disclosed somewhere within the listing, the problem is that these costs were not displayed prominently alongside the advertised rental price. Instead, they were buried within secondary sections/tabs of the listing. In my opinion, a mandatory €750 administration fee is not a small detail. It materially changes the true cost of renting the property and should be impossible for prospective tenants to miss. What frustrated me most was being told that if I did not pay these additional charges before check-in, I could lose access to the accommodation and potentially forfeit money already paid. To avoid losing the booking, I ultimately paid the additional amounts. However, I did so under significant frustration because the total cost of the rental was substantially higher than what initially attracted me to the listing. My concerns: Mandatory fees were not presented prominently enough. The advertised rent did not reflect the true cost of securing the room. A €750 administration fee is a significant expense that should be front and center during the booking process. Customer support repeatedly insisted the information was available somewhere in the listing rather than addressing whether it was displayed clearly. My advice to anyone using Spotahome: Read every tab, expandable section, and fee disclosure. Ask the landlord for a complete breakdown of all move-in costs before committing. Calculate the total amount due before arrival, not just the advertised monthly rent. Take screenshots of the listing before booking. I am sharing screenshots of my experience so others can judge for themselves whether the pricing was presented clearly enough. Unfortunately, after this experience, I will not be using Spotahome again. #Spotahome #RentalHousing #ApartmentRental #TenantRights #RentingAbroad #DigitalNomad #HousingTransparency read more

I rarely leave public reviews, but my experience with Spotahome has compelled me to share a cautionary note for future tenants. I rented a room for my son in Madrid through Spotahome as he had a 1 month assignement, and although the booking process appeared straightforward, it quickly became apparent that there is a serious disconnect between the platform and the landlords they represent. I was unexpectedly charged an additional €650 agency fee directly by the landlord -- a fee that was not disclosed on the Spotahome listing or mentioned in the contract. This left me with no option but to pay under pressure, just days before moving in. Worse, when I had to leave the property early due to a family emergency abroad, I promptly informed the landlord. He acknowledged and accepted my departure, asked me to leave the keys in the room, and made no mention of additional rent being owed. Later, however, Spotahome demanded further rent beyond the lease dates agreed in the contract, citing booking conditions posted on their platform -- conditions that were never part of the signed agreement. Furthermore, I am still waiting for the return of my €650 security deposit, despite the fact that I vacated the room on time and left it in excellent condition (fully documented). Neither the landlord nor Spotahome has offered meaningful support in resolving this issue. In my view, Spotahome does not exercise sufficient oversight or accountability for the landlords they list, nor do they protect tenants from being charged fees or held to obligations that are outside the written contract. Their claim of acting as a "neutral intermediary" falls short when they later attempt to enforce non-contractual conditions. If you are considering renting through Spotahome, I strongly urge you to read all contracts carefully and be cautious of hidden charges or communication breakdowns between the platform and landlords. Based on my experience, I cannot recommend their services. read more

AVOID Spotahome: deceptive pricing and appalling customer service. I booked an apartment in Barcelona through Spotahome on August 9th (booking reference ZRJJRG6-2M) and paid the booking fee, roughly $2,600 in total, split between Spotahome and the landlord. The moment payment went through, additional charges appeared that had never been shown to me anywhere before I paid. Unfortunately, this was not simply an oversight, but rather a deceptive pricing practice: get the customer to pay first, reveal the real cost after, then refuse any refund. I cancelled immediately, within five minutes of paying, using Spotahome's own cancellation function. The landlord (Ukio) confirmed the cancellation in writing that same day and said they were waiting on Spotahome to process it. Spotahome then went completely silent. No response to multiple emails and platform messages over several days. I visited their office in Madrid in person, only to be told by other people in the shared coworking space that no Spotahome staff were even there. When Spotahome finally responded, it was three different agents, each giving the same scripted non-answer: booking non-refundable due to their cancellation policy, with zero acknowledgment that the charges themselves were hidden until after payment. This isn't customer service, it's a company hiding behind a policy to keep money it was never entitled to. I've now filed a chargeback with my bank, a formal complaint with the Madrid consumer protection authority (OMIC), and a request for consumer arbitration with the Comunidad de Madrid. I'd encourage anyone reading this to screenshot every single price shown before you pay Spotahome anything. Based on the pattern in other reviews here, this is not an isolated incident. Extortionate fees disclosed only after payment, and a support team that stonewalls with policy instead of addressing the actual problem. Avoid! read more

I applied to two properties through Spotahome since I wasn't sure which one I'd be accepted for. Before booking, I was assured IN WRITING that I would NOT be charged for applying to multiple properties -- their team actually encouraged me to apply to more than one to increase my chances of getting accepted. Both were approved and charged anyway -- including two separate €651 "service fees." When I pushed back with the written assurance in hand, they pointed me to their Terms & Conditions, which said something completely different. So: written promise on one hand, contradicting fine print on the other -- a clear bait-and-switch. The two bookings also had overlapping dates, meaning I could never have used both properties. When I asked to cancel one and get the fee refunded, they refunded the rent but kept the €651 fee, citing "different dates" -- despite 28 of 31 days overlapping. Their support was fast and responsive while I was booking, then went completely silent as soon as I raised concerns about the fees. Their customer service is horrible and their practices are shady. Do not trust what their team tells you verbally or in chat -- even written assurances didn't hold up. Book elsewhere. read more

We rented our apartment for 7 months in Barcelona with Spotahome and so far it's been a great experience. They have a variety of accommodations on their website and when we asked some very specific questions about amenities they were very responsive in getting the answers from the landlords. Once we confirmed the booking, the payment process was straightforward, we had to prove our identity and we exchanged contracts directly with the landlord before checking-in. The pictures were true to what we found afterwards. In fact, the rooms are a bit bigger than they looked so we are quite pleased. Our landlord has been very responsive since the beginning and we are in a very safe and well connected neighbourhood with lots of amenities and super family friendly. Barcelona seems to be a particularly difficult place to find where to live given its popularity. We had visited the city for a few days before trying to secure a place to no avail, so we really appreciated not having to travel again to visit places and instead being able to see the pictures and do everything online. In the end it's good value for money considering how much time, hassle and money we saved in doing everything online. read more

TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE - AVOID! I am relocating from London to Spain and chose Spotahome to secure an apartment for an initial seven-month stay. I paid the first month's rent plus Spotahome's service fee in full, yet I have received absolutely no meaningful communication from either the landlord or Spotahome. My tenancy is supposed to begin tomorrow, and I still do not have a signed contract, move-in instructions, key collection details, or any confirmation regarding access to the property. I have already arrived in Spain and am now facing the possibility of having nowhere to stay despite having paid everything requested. The lack of communication and support is completely unacceptable, especially for customers relocating internationally and relying on your platform to secure housing. I strongly advise others to think twice before using this service. If any issues arise, don't expect timely assistance or clear communication. Spotahome, please urgently assist with reservation Y1P113X-YX. I am already in Spain, my rental starts tomorrow, and I have received no answers after making payment. This situation requires immediate attention. read more

DISAPPOINTING EXPERIENCE WITH HIDDEN COSTS AND PARTIAL REFUND The listing I booked was misleading, as it did not mention additional fees, such as significant payments beyond the one-month deposit. Despite numerous attempts to resolve this issue and providing evidence of the discrepancies, the agency refused to offer a full refund, citing a cancellation policy that should not apply given the circumstances. While I appreciate their offer of a partial refund and credit, it does not address the core issue of the misleading listing. As a result, I was left with no choice but to escalate the matter to the relevant parties. I was assisted by Alessio in attempting to resolve this issue, and while his efforts were appreciated, the resolution offered was still unsatisfactory. I caution others to be vigilant and double-check all terms and conditions before booking through this platform. Unfortunately, my experience with Spotahome has left me unsatisfied, and I cannot recommend their service based on my experience. read more

Booking in Frankfurt website Spotahome booking ID: M752XJJ-KL  Paid 902 euro for hause . Spotahome tell me i have sent money to owner . The owner says I didn't get any money.... I am contacting you to tell you that spotahome and habyt continues the scam. I contacted Habyt (owner)and they told me that we have not received any payment from Spotahome.(First rent 654 euro). 1. I did not receive the accommodation even though I paid 902 €. No service, no keys, no check-in and account in spotahome disabled= -€902 lost in my savings account. 2. Spotahome scam tell me €654 been transferred to the landlord? 3.Habyt response :"After checking our systems, we confirm there is no money to be returned to you. Regarding the first months rent that you have paid we request that you please speak to the platform that you made the booking as they confirmed to us that your rent was already refunded. read more

Booking in Frankfurt website Spotahome booking ID: M752XJJ-KL  Paid 902 euro for hause . Spotahome tell me i have sent money to owner . The owner says I didn't get any money.... I am contacting you to tell you that spotahome and habyt continues the scam. I contacted Habyt (owner)and they told me that we have not received any payment from Spotahome.(First rent 654 euro). 1. I did not receive the accommodation even though I paid 902 €. No service, no keys, no check-in and account in spotahome disabled= -€902 lost in my savings account. 2. Spotahome scam tell me €654 been transferred to the landlord? 3.Habyt response :"After checking our systems, we confirm there is no money to be returned to you. Regarding the first months rent that you have paid we request that you please speak to the platform that you made the booking as they confirmed to us that your rent was already refunded. read more

Very disappointing experience with Spotahome. The property I booked did not match the listing at all -- there was mold, broken furniture, a broken main light in my room, no curtains or blinds, and the kitchen and bathrooms were in poor condition. The apartment was also advertised as smoke-free, yet smoking was constant inside the flat. I documented everything with over 60 photos and reported the issues, but responses were slow and support was limited. I also have asthma, which made the mold and smoke a serious health concern. Despite clear evidence of misrepresentation and unsafe living conditions, getting meaningful assistance or refund consideration was extremely difficult. I expected a verified platform to provide stronger tenant protection. Instead, I was left feeling unsupported and forced to look for new accommodation at my own expense. read more

I rented a room in Warsaw for my son through Spotahome, and the experience has been extremely disappointing. After the checkout, the landlord refused to return the security deposit, and despite repeated attempts to resolve the issue, Spotahome has failed to take meaningful action. Their responses have been generic, repetitive, and unhelpful, with no clear resolution or accountability. Even though the landlord still lists multiple properties on their platform, Spotahome has not suspended their listings or enforced any consequences. This shows a lack of responsibility in ensuring fair practices among their landlords. Their platform feels unsafe for tenants, and I would not recommend it to anyone. My advice: DO NOT USE their services. read more

I recently rented a flat through this agency and had a terrible experience. They were unresponsive, leaving us without hot water, heating, and with a broken bathroom door for two weeks. No repairs were made, and we were left freezing. This agency is disorganized and indifferent to their tenants. I strongly advise against renting through them. For short-term rentals, explore other options; the reality doesn't match what's advertised on their website. read more

Do not worry. With little to zero time, you will find an apartment. Compared to other websites, the options are high. Several times I saw the same apartment listed for lower price here than other websites because of that simple fact. Not only is this a place with great apartment's, but really wonderful customer service. Thank you Fabiola for everything! Wish everyone at SpotAHome good luck in the future, even though it is not needed :) read more

I had an overall good experience with Spotahome. The booking process was pretty smooth and whenever I had doubts, their team responded quickly. An issue came up with my original apartment, but they handled it efficiently and helped me find another place without too much stress. Overall, I felt supported throughout the process and I'm happy with the service. read more

I had a great experience overall, even when there were a few hiccups, Spotahome was super helpful and quick to respond. Really appreciated the clear communication and how smoothly the refund process went. Moved to back home now, but definitely recommend them. read more

I had a great experience with Spotahome. The booking process was simple, transparent, and quick. The property matched the description and photos, and communication was smooth throughout. A reliable service that gave me peace of mind when renting abroad. read more

IT MUST BE A SCAM. I paid almost 2000E for a reservation and then they disappeared for an apartment in Rome. I can only warn you: do not use them. Of course we follow up with Media and Lawyers. Incredible chutzpah these guys. read more

Looking for a room in Madrid. Their agents lied to me and misrepresented the landlord. Booking eventually fell through after a week of nonsensical and confusing emails from their agents. Agents are rude and unhelpful. read more