Winter rental in Marbella: how can an owner earn during the off-season and not break the new rules?

The rental market in Marbella has a clear seasonal rhythm that many owners underestimate until they experience it in practice. From May to September, owners in prime locations prefer short-term rentals at high rates. From October to April, the picture changes: short-term demand fades, but this is exactly where an underestimated income tool comes to light — winter, or seasonal, long-term rentals. In 2026, it became not just a way to fill the gap between summer seasons, but a standalone strategy amid a structural shortage of supply and tighter regulation. Let’s look at how to use it properly.

Key points in brief

Winter off-season in Marbella is not a dead period. It is a window of steady demand from affluent tenants who winter on the coast, relocators, and remote professionals. The long-term rental market is in a state of acute structural shortage: demand significantly exceeds supply, and average rates have risen by almost 89 percent over six years. For an owner, seasonal rentals in the formato temporada format make it possible to earn income in winter while keeping flexibility for summer. But since 2026, it requires strict compliance with new rules for registering rental contracts. A mistake in paperwork can turn a seasonal agreement into a permanent one or lead to serious penalties.

Why winter in Marbella is not a dead season

The key difference between Marbella and a typical resort is that its tenant pool is unusually international. In the same long-term housing stock, British, Scandinavian, German, and increasingly Middle Eastern and American residents compete, along with local Spanish demand. This keeps demand structurally high year-round and limits seasonal dips in rates.

The scale of the shortage is visible in market figures. The average long-term rent for an eighty-square-meter apartment has grown by almost eighty-nine percent over six years: from 848 euros in 2019 to 1600 euros by July 2025. The market is heavily skewed toward second homes and seasonal real estate, creating a sharp shortage of housing for the working and professional community. A significant share of the stock moved to short-term rentals for higher returns. Some owners keep assets for personal use, and new projects are mainly aimed at sales rather than rentals.

For an owner, this means a simple thing: in winter, demand does not go away, and competition for a quality property remains high. With the right price and a proper presentation, the property can find a tenant within a window of seven to fourteen days.

Who rents in winter

The winter tenant in Marbella is a separate profile, different from the summer tourist. This includes affluent retirees from Northern Europe escaping the cold on the coast, golfers coming for a long season, relocators settling in before they understand the market before buying, and remote specialists with families. Many of them view renting as a first step before buying their own home: first they rent, then they buy after figuring out the areas and formats.

This link between tenants and future buyers is important for the owner. By renting the property in winter to a quality tenant, the owner not only earns income during the off-season, but also works with the same audience that creates demand for purchases in prestigious locations. That is why winter rentals are especially effective in areas with developed infrastructure and year-round life, such as Nueva Andalucía and eastern Marbella.

Temporada format: how it works legally

The key tool for an owner is a seasonal rental contract, arrendamiento de temporada. It is governed by the Urban Lease Law, but it is separate from rentals for permanent housing. The term of such a contract is from one to eleven months, which fits perfectly into the winter window. An important condition: the property must be furnished and fully ready for move-in, with all necessary household appliances and utensils.

Here lies the main risk you need to know about in advance. Since 2026, having only a term of eleven months is no longer enough for the contract to be considered seasonal. The law now requires a clear justification of the temporary nature of the rental: there must be a real reason, documented and provable, why the home is not a permanent place of residence for the tenant, for example a temporary employment contract, education, or treatment. Without such justification, the contract will be interpreted as a rental for permanent housing, with all tenant protections under the law.

This is a direct consequence of the state’s fight against abuse. Previously, owners disguised long-term contracts as seasonal ones to get around limits on rent increases. Now this scheme is closed.

New registration rules and penalties

Since 2026, seasonal rentals have been subject to centralized digital control. The owner must register such contracts through the state portal, and renting out real estate without the corresponding registration number is classified as a serious or very serious violation. The range of sanctions is significant: for individuals, fines can be from ten to sixty thousand euros depending on the region and the severity of the violation. For legal entities, and in cases of repeated violations, the amounts can reach much higher figures.

Registration is done exclusively online, with authorization via a digital certificate or the Cl@ve system, and it requires uploading copies of contracts, proof of the deposit payment, and documents that justify the temporary nature of the rental. For the owner, this means that winter rentals in 2026 are no longer an informal seasonal arrangement. It is a process that requires careful documentary support.

Tax side

Income from renting real estate located in Spain is taxed in Spain regardless of where the owner lives. This applies to both residents and non-residents, including citizens of countries outside the EU. Tax rates and the list of deductible expenses differ, but the obligation to declare income exists in all cases. Incorrect declarations lead to penalties, checks, and legal complications.

Practical takeaway for the owner: winter rentals should be planned together with your tax strategy from the very beginning, not after the fact. A properly executed seasonal contract, timely registration, and a correct income declaration are three pillars without which the potential benefit of the off-season quickly turns into risks.

What this means for the owner in 2026

Winter rentals in Marbella are no longer a way to simply fill a vacancy. Against the backdrop of a structural shortage of supply and steady international demand, it has become a standalone income tool that, with the right approach, complements the property’s summer returns. But increased regulation means that in 2026 investors need to act more carefully than before: the price must be correct from day one, the presentation must match the expectations of a demanding tenant, and the paperwork must fully comply with the new rules.

It is at the intersection of high demand and more complex regulation that the owner wins who approaches winter rentals systematically. A specialist who knows the local market from the inside can help you understand which properties in your portfolio or in the catalog fit best with a seasonal strategy and in which areas winter demand is most stable.

If you are considering winter or seasonal rental of your property in Marbella and want to build a strategy in line with the new rules, the ABARZO team will help assess the property’s potential and support the process at every stage.

ABARZO Real Estate — Your guide to real estate and lifestyle in Marbella