Rent-to-buy on a protected home

Rent-to-buy (alquiler con opción a compra) is two contracts in one: an ordinary tenancy and an option that gives you, and only you, the right (not the obligation) to buy that home within a set period. The three figures that define the deal are agreed in writing: the period for using the option, the upfront premium (prima) if there is one, and what percentage of the rent paid is taken off the price if you do buy.

On protected housing (vivienda protegida, or VPO) there is one decisive difference from the open market: the purchase price cannot be higher than the maximum legal price the home has under its qualification at the time of the sale. The contract can set a lower price, but never a higher one.

The State Housing Plan 2026-2030 (Plan Estatal de Vivienda) (Real Decreto 326/2026) created a grant specifically for this route: up to €28,800 for young people aged up to 35 who use their option to buy a protected home with permanent protection that they are renting. In practice, it is a down payment paid by the plan for someone who already lives in the home.

• Who: young people aged up to 35 who rent a protected home with an option to buy.
• Which home: a protected home with permanent protection. Homes with a short, temporary qualification do not count.
• How much: up to €28,800, within the income and price limits set by the call for applications (convocatoria).
• Where to apply: in your region (comunidad autónoma). The money comes from the state, but each region opens its own call. They are being published from the second half of 2026.

Not every development offers it. You will mostly see it in public rental developments for young people (several regions use it so the tenant can buy years later) and with private developers of protected housing who want to secure the future sale of the building. In our listings, each offer shows its regime; when the call includes an option to buy, you will see it in its rules (bases).

If you already rent a protected home WITHOUT an agreed option, the option does not apply to you automatically: it is a voluntary agreement with the owner. It can be negotiated, but the owner does not have to agree.