Alquiler Seguro Maintains Abusive Practices Despite Historic 3.6 Million Euro Fine
El Salto
- Alquiler Seguro continues to enforce abusive practices against tenants despite receiving a record 3.6 million euro fine.
- Tenants are effectively forced into paying for "optional" services, such as the Tenant Assistance Service (SAI), as a condition for securing a rental property.
- Spanish housing law prohibits real estate agencies from passing management and contract formalization costs to tenants, but the company continues to bypass this through sophisticated workarounds.
Persistent Abusive Practices
- Tenant Assistance Service (SAI): While marketed as optional, employees confirm that clients who refuse the service are excluded from final consideration for properties. It carries an initial fee of 990 euros plus VAT and an annual maintenance fee.
- Mandatory Home Insurance: The company forces tenants to purchase insurance benefiting the landlord; failure to comply leads to rejection during the vetting process.
- Punitive Account Blocking: Tenants who stop paying annual fees find their profiles blocked, leading to difficulties in contract renewals or general assistance, effectively blacklisting them.
Legal Standoff and Activism
- Although the Ministry of Consumer Affairs sanctioned the company in April 2026, Alquiler Seguro has appealed the decision and requested stay of execution to avoid immediate changes to its business model.
- The Tenants' Union (Sindicato de Inquilinos), alongside organizations like CECU and Facua, reports that the company’s internal protocols remain unchanged despite the legal action.
- Given the slow pace of the judicial system, the Tenants' Union is organizing a large-scale rent strike to force the company to return allegedly extorted funds and cease exploitative practices.