Benalmádena approves rental assistance of up to €3,600 a year: eligibility requirements and how to apply

Residents of Benalmádena who rent their homes could receive up to €3,600 a year in municipal financial assistance to help cover their housing costs. The town council has given final approval to the regulations governing a new rental support programme designed to reduce household expenses and increase the availability of properties for long-term residential lets.

The measures, approved during an extraordinary council meeting on November 3, 2026, establish three different types of financial assistance. The first is aimed at people who already have a rental agreement, the second supports tenants signing a new contract, and the third provides incentives for landlords who make their properties available for long-term residential renting.

The amount available will depend on each applicant's circumstances. For existing rental agreements, support could reach €300 per month, while people aged 35 or under signing a new tenancy agreement may qualify for a grant equivalent to three months' rent.

Applications cannot be submitted simply because the regulations have received final approval. The application period will begin once Benalmádena Town Council publishes the corresponding official call for applications, which will establish the definitive dates and submission requirements.

Up to €300 a month for tenants already renting in Benalmádena

The first grant scheme is intended for people currently renting a property in Benalmádena whose tenancy agreement was signed before the date specified in the relevant call for applications.

To qualify, the property must be the applicant's main residence, be located within the municipality and be covered by a long-term tenancy agreement with an initial duration of at least twelve months.

There is also a financial limit: monthly rent must not exceed €1,500. Holiday lets, tourist accommodation and seasonal rental agreements are excluded from the programme.

The amount of assistance will depend on the tenant's monthly rent.

People paying less than €850 a month may receive €100 per month, equivalent to a maximum of €1,200 a year.

For monthly rents of €850 or more but below €1,200, the grant will increase to €200 per month, providing up to €2,400 annually.

Tenants paying between €1,200 and €1,500 a month, inclusive, may qualify for the highest level of support: €300 per month, with a maximum annual payment of €3,600.

For example, someone paying €1,300 a month for their main residence who meets all the requirements could receive up to €3,600 over the subsidised annual period. However, approval will depend on eligibility and the availability of funding.

Special rental grants for young people aged 35 and under

The second scheme is designed for people moving into a new rented home in Benalmádena.

In this case, the tenancy agreement must be signed after the date established by the official call for applications and meet the programme's general requirements: the property must be used as the tenant's main residence, the agreement must be for long-term residential use, and monthly rent must not exceed €1,500.

The main difference from the first scheme is how the grant is calculated.

People signing a new rental agreement may receive financial assistance equivalent to two months' rent. This increases to three months' rent for applicants aged 35 or under.

For example, someone signing a tenancy agreement with a monthly rent of €800 could qualify for €1,600 under the general scheme, or €2,400 if they are aged 35 or under.

The initiative aims to make it easier for residents to access long-term rental accommodation in the municipality.

Applicants must nevertheless meet the income thresholds and all other conditions established in the regulations.

What are the income requirements for applicants?

Both schemes aimed at tenants include eligibility criteria linked to household income.

Benalmádena Town Council will use the Spanish Public Multiple Effects Income Indicator (IPREM) as a reference. This is the official index commonly used in Spain to determine eligibility for public grants and benefits.

The applicable thresholds will depend on the number of people living in the household and the specific circumstances covered by the programme's regulations.

As a result, different households may be subject to different maximum income limits.

The information released alongside the final approval does not specify the exact thresholds for every household category. Applicants will therefore need to consult the complete regulations and the relevant call for applications.

In addition to meeting the income requirements, tenants must demonstrate that the property is their main residence and that their tenancy agreement meets the conditions of the scheme.

Paying less than €1,500 a month in rent does not automatically guarantee eligibility.

Benalmádena will also support landlords offering long-term rental properties

The municipal programme is not exclusively aimed at tenants.

The third grant scheme seeks to encourage property owners and people holding usufruct rights over properties in Benalmádena to make their homes available for long-term residential renting, rather than keeping them outside the permanent rental market.

To qualify, tenancy agreements must have an initial duration of at least one year and allow extensions at the tenant's request up to a total of five years.

Annual rent must not exceed €18,000, equivalent to a maximum monthly rent of €1,500.

Instead of providing landlords with a fixed cash payment, the council will subsidise the cost of the annual premium for a rent guarantee insurance policy.

The insurance must be contracted for at least twelve months and include cover for unpaid rent, legal expenses and vandalism.

The aim is to provide additional financial protection for landlords willing to offer their properties as long-term residential accommodation, helping increase the number of homes available in Benalmádena.

When can residents apply for Benalmádena's rental assistance?

One of the most important questions for potential applicants concerns the application timetable.

Although the council has given final approval to the regulations, the corresponding call for applications must still be published before the process can begin.

Once the official notice has been published through the required channels, applicants will have 20 working days to submit their requests.

The countdown will begin on the day following the last required publication of the call for applications.

Therefore, the date of final approval, November 3, 2026, should not be confused with the opening date for applications.

The municipal information currently available does not establish the exact date when submissions will begin.

Interested residents should monitor announcements from Benalmádena Town Council and the relevant official publications to obtain the definitive timetable and instructions.

How to apply and what documents will be required

The exact application procedure will be established in the official call, which will specify the necessary forms, submission channels and supporting documentation.

However, the published conditions already identify several matters applicants will need to demonstrate, including their connection to the property, the existence of a valid tenancy agreement and the financial circumstances of their household.

For tenants, checking the date of their rental agreement will be particularly important in determining whether they should apply under the existing tenancy scheme or the programme for new contracts.

Applicants will also need to confirm that their rent falls within the permitted range, their agreement meets the minimum duration requirements and the property qualifies as their main residence.

Landlords interested in the third scheme should pay particular attention to the conditions relating to tenancy agreements and rent guarantee insurance.

The council has not yet provided a definitive list of supporting documents in the information accompanying the final approval. It is therefore advisable to wait for the official application instructions before assuming that a particular set of documents will be sufficient.

Information about grants and subsidies is available on the municipal website: https://www.benalmadena.es/subvenciones/

Applications will be processed in the order they are received

The grants will be awarded through a non-competitive application procedure, known in Spain as concurrencia no competitiva.

Rather than ranking applicants according to a comparative points system, applications will be processed according to the date and time they are officially registered.

To receive assistance, applicants must meet all the eligibility requirements, and sufficient funding must remain available under the relevant call.

The council has confirmed that the award of grants will depend on the allocated budget, meaning that submitting an application within the deadline does not guarantee funding.

This makes it particularly important for interested residents to review the regulations and prepare their documentation before the application window opens.

The municipal announcement does not yet specify the total budget for the future call or how many applicants may ultimately receive assistance.

Can these grants be combined with other rental assistance?

The approved regulations allow the municipal grants to be combined with other public or private financial assistance intended to cover rental costs.

This may be particularly relevant for households already receiving housing-related benefits or subsidies.

However, there is one essential condition: the combined amount of assistance must not exceed the total rent payable during the subsidised period.

For example, if someone receives several grants to help pay for the same property, the combined financial support cannot be greater than the rental costs covered by those grants.

Beneficiaries must also comply with any reporting and documentation obligations established in the regulations and future calls for applications.

A programme aimed at reducing housing costs and increasing long-term rental supply

The approval of the new grants forms part of Benalmádena's municipal strategy to improve access to permanent housing.

Benalmádena is one of the Costa del Sol's main tourist municipalities, where demand for residential accommodation exists alongside properties used for different types of letting.

Against this backdrop, the council aims to address two aspects of the rental market: the financial pressure faced by tenants and the availability of properties intended for long-term residential use.

On the one hand, grants of up to €300 a month are designed to reduce rental costs for eligible households. On the other, assistance for new contracts and subsidised rent guarantee insurance policies are intended to encourage more homes to enter the long-term rental market.

The regulations were previously presented to the Municipal Housing Sector Council and received final approval at the extraordinary council meeting on November 3, with support from the municipal groups and an abstention from Izquierda Unida.

The next stage will be the publication of the official call allowing residents and landlords to submit their applications.

With grants of up to €3,600 a year for existing rental agreements and assistance equivalent to three months' rent for people aged 35 or under, Benalmádena has established the framework for a new housing support programme. Its implementation will depend on the opening of applications, the final eligibility conditions and the funding available.