What are the minor repairs that the tenant has to pay for?

Question

José Manuel Alburquerque · Accepted Answer

They are low-cost repairs required by the wear and tear of everyday use of the home, such as changing a light bulb, fixing a dripping tap or replacing the strap of a roller shutter. The law does not define them or set any amount, so, if there is a dispute, the courts decide case by case. They look above all at whether the fault comes from normal use or from age and at whether it is a cheap repair or a matter of replacing something. If the tenant caused the fault, the tenant pays for it even if it is not minor. In temporary residential tenancy agreements signed or renewed since 8 October 2026, minor repairs are also for the landlord. How to tell them apart The courts usually take these three things into account: That the fault comes from everyday use and not from the age of the installation, an original defect or the structure of the building. That the repair costs little in relation to the rent. The “Audiencia Provincial” of Madrid, the provincial appeal court, for example, did not regard as minor the repair of a boiler pump that cost around 60 % of one month's rent. That it is a repair or routine maintenance and not the replacement of an appliance or an important part. Common examples The following are usually regarded as minor repairs: Changing light bulbs, sockets, switches, door handles or the cylinder of a lock. Fixing a dripping tap or seal, a flexible hose or the cistern mechanism. Replacing a roller shutter strap, filters or silicone sealant. Unblocking a drain blocked through use. On the other hand, the following are not minor repairs but a matter for the landlord or, if they affect common parts, for the owners' association: Replacing the boiler or the water heater because they have grown old. Faults in pipes embedded in the walls or in the main electrical installation. Damp caused by water seeping in. Anything affecting the roof, the façade or the structure of the building. Clauses that set a figure Some tenancy agreements say that repairs up to a certain amount, for example 150 euros, are for the tenant. Such clauses are common, but it is not clear to what extent they are valid. What a clause of this kind cannot do is make the tenant pay for what the law places on the landlord, such as a fault due to age or to a defect in the installation, even if it costs less than that figure. If there is a dispute, the best evidence for both parties is the invoice or the report of the technician explaining the cause of the fault.