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More and more tenants are presenting fake documentation to access rental housing. According to José Ramón Zurdo, general director of the Rental Negotiation Agency (ANA), one of the most common practices is the falsification of payslips, where fraudsters alter the final figures without modifying the contribution or withholding data. Professionals cross-check these documents with income tax returns, which are much harder to forge, and consult registers such as ASNEF or tenant debt lists to verify the candidate’s real solvency.

The falsification of employment contracts is also common. Experts recommend requesting a certified copy of the contract and verifying the applicant’s employment record through the Social Security "Verification Service" by entering the CEA code and the issue date. These types of controls help prevent fraud and protect landlords from defaulting tenants or “inquiokupas,” a growing phenomenon in the rental market.

Zurdo emphasizes that prevention is the best defense: taking out rent default insurance, checking debtor registers, thoroughly analyzing candidates’ solvency, and entrusting rental management to professionals. He also advises against trusting tenants who offer several months’ rent in advance or fail to provide references from previous landlords, and recommends that utility contracts always be in the tenant’s name to avoid unpaid bills.

The falsification of documents is a crime under Article 395 of the Spanish Penal Code and can result in prison sentences of six months to two years. If it is discovered that a tenant has provided false documentation, the rental contract may be declared null and void, and the landlord has the right to report it.