Apartamentos Doña Elvira

I strongly advise against renting through this agency, especially from property owner Jose Luis Candau Ramila and his employee Begoña Sáez González. Their conduct was appalling and, in my view, possibly fraudulent. We found a short-term rental in Málaga advertised on Idealista. Since we were abroad, we couldn't view it in person. We relied on recommendations and on the photos, videos, and description we were sent. It all seemed fine, so we signed a contract and paid the deposits through intermediary Rosa Luque. Taking possession of the apartment was a shock. The humidity was excessive, and we found several serious problems. Minutes after leaving, the woman who handed it over messaged us not to use the dishwasher or oven because neither worked. We reported the issues in writing to the owner right away and pointed out that the apartment didn't match the contract or the advertised condition. The problems included humidity above 70% that stayed that high with the windows open and two dehumidifiers running at full power. The air was uncomfortable, and we were concerned that this level could cause mold and serious health problems over time. There were cockroaches, mostly small ones, often in the bathroom, which suggested to us that a nest might be nearby, possibly in the apartment. Furniture was crumbling, probably from damp. The kitchen tap was broken, the toilet leaked, a pipe under the bathroom sink was broken and leaking, the bathroom fan didn't work, and electrical outlets and switches were dangerously exposed. The oven and dishwasher also didn't work, despite the contract saying the kitchen would be fully equipped. At first the owner kept in touch, and we hoped the problems would be fixed promptly and that we'd receive compensation for the inconvenience. Within a few days, the kitchen tap, the unstable leaking toilet, the exposed outlets and switches, and the pipe under the bathroom sink had been fixed. The other issues remained. The owner then gradually stopped replying to our upset messages and ignored us for over two weeks. We couldn't reach a peaceful settlement, so we ended our stay early. The owner is supposed to return our 450 Euros deposit, but still hadn't done so almost two months after we left the apartment. Total fraud.