Fianza
Security deposit (the mandatory one)
The statutory deposit a landlord must take and, in most regions, lodge with a public body.
The fianza is the deposit Spanish law requires on a rental, and it is not the same thing as whatever else the landlord asks you to hand over. It is set by statute, it is calculated in months of rent, and in most of Spain the landlord is obliged to lodge it with a regional deposit registry rather than keep it in their own account.
That lodging requirement is the part tenants rarely use. It means there is a third party who can confirm the money exists and what it was for — and a landlord who never lodged it has already broken a rule before any argument about the return begins.
Anything demanded beyond the fianza is a separate thing with its own limit: an additional guarantee, which is capped, negotiable, and frequently confused with the fianza by the person asking for it.
What to check in the contract
Look for the fianza stated separately from any other sum, with the amount and the registry it will be lodged with. Ask for the resguardo — the lodging receipt — before you sign, not after.
Check a deposit against the legal cap
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