How much does home watch cost on the Costa Blanca?
Almost nobody in this trade publishes prices. Here are the figures we checked on the Costa Blanca, our own included, and above all what each price range really covers.
Published on · A 5 minute read
The word first, the figures after
Home watch is the name this service goes by in the United States, where the trade is 20 years ahead of Europe. In Spain, one legal precision explains part of the price differences you will see below.
Under Spanish law, guarding and protecting property is a reserved activity under law 5/2014, open to licensed security companies only. No property care company can sell you guarding, and Domivaro carries out no activity of that kind. What you actually buy has 4 names: key holding, upkeep, technical checks and a written record of the state of the house. That is the market we price here, with checked and dated figures.
The real market prices, checked and dated
This is what is published openly on the Costa Blanca when you take the time to look. Few providers do it: price transparency remains the exception in this trade.
| Provider | Area advertised | What is included | Published price |
|---|---|---|---|
| The House Maids | Costa Blanca | Keys, 1 visit a month, dated photos | €70 a year |
| SiLimpio | Altea, La Nucia | Key holding only | €80 a year, before tax |
| Home Costa Blanca | Costa Blanca | Keys, 2 checks a month | €200 a year |
| Key Holding Mil Palmeras | Vega Baja | Keys, 2 inspections a month | €280 a year |
| Premier Villas | Alicante | Keys only, no visit | €285 a year, IVA included |
| ProCare Estates | Ciudad Quesada | Keys, 2 inspections a month, report | €399 a year, plus IVA |
| Bright & Shiny | Torrevieja | 2 inspections a month | €40 a month |
| Global Spain | Orihuela Costa | 4 visits a month | €625 a year, plus IVA |
| Tummers Invest | Torrevieja, Alicante | 1 inspection a week | €699 a year, plus IVA |
| Domivaro, Essentiel | l'Alacantí, Marina Baixa | 1 visit a month, 38 points, 30 minutes of labour included | €1,140 a year, IVA included |
This table says something uncomfortable and true: key holding costs 1.6 to 16 times less than we do. That is normal, it is not the same job. For €70 to €699 a year, a provider holds your key, drives past to see the house is still standing and sends you photos; every call-out is billed on top and labour is never included. For €1,140 a year, the Essential plan checks 38 points in a fixed order, includes 30 minutes of labour on every visit, and the insurance covers all of it. If you only want someone to hold your key, buy key holding: it is cheaper and it is enough. If you want the house looked after, compare what is included, not the price on the page.
In short
Key holding costs €70 to €699 a year on the Costa Blanca, depending on whether it includes 0 or 4 visits a month. Full care, with visits, checks and labour included, costs €95 to €590 a month including tax. The gap comes down to 3 things: the number of visits, whether labour is included or billed, and whether the 21 % IVA is shown.
What moves the price: 6 factors
The number of visits
From 1 a month for a closed flat to 4 or more for a villa with a pool. It is the first factor, and it should always be written into the contract.
Surface and pool
A pool adds checks to every visit, off season included. Above 350 m², expect a tailor-made plan.
Labour included, or billed
Tightening a hose, bleeding a tap, changing a seal: included with some providers, billed per call-out with others. That is where the totals drift apart.
IVA included, or not
Spanish IVA is 21 %. A price shown before tax is really 21 % higher when you pay. Check the wording before you compare.
Insurance with a figure, or without
Many write the word insured, almost nobody writes the amount. Ours: €600,000 per claim, with a €30,000 key-loss extension.
Unplanned interventions
A written quote approved before any work, or an invoice discovered afterwards: ask the question before signing, not after the first incident.
Our price list, since we publish it
Essentiel at €95 a month for 1 visit, Sérénité at €179 for 2, Intégrale at €319 for 4, tailor-made from €470 with 6 visits and more. 21 % IVA included everywhere, labour included, and the first check visit is free. The full price list, visit by visit
A question about your house?
The check visit is free and commits you to nothing. We come, we run the 38 points and we send you the report. You see what you are buying before you pay.
5 questions to ask before signing, with us or anyone
Is the price final, with 21 % IVA included?
The right answer is yes, in writing on the quote. A before-tax price looks 21 % cheaper than it is. With us, every published price includes IVA.
How many visits a month, and are they in writing?
The exact number of visits belongs in the contract, not in a spoken promise. It is what determines whether your insurer treats the house as looked after.
Is the insurance a written figure?
Ask for the amount per claim and a current certificate. A seriously insured provider hands them over without hesitation: with us, €600,000 per claim, certificate delivered with the contract.
What happens when a repair goes beyond the plan?
The right answer: a written quote, approved by you before any work, and no invoice without prior agreement. Be wary of plans where every incident opens the door to open-ended billing.
What commitment, and what notice to stop?
Look for a monthly contract with no fixed term, cancellable by a simple message with reasonable notice. With us: 14 calendar days to withdraw, then 30 days notice, with no penalty.
Sources: public prices checked on 4 and 6 August 2026 on the websites of Costa Blanca providers; law 5/2014 on private security for the scope of reserved activities; our own price list, published on the pricing page.
What to remember
- The number of visits and the hours of labour belong in the contract, not in a spoken promise.
- A price before IVA is 21 % higher than it looks.
- Ask for the insured amount per claim and a current certificate.
Written by Fabrizio and Krystel, Domivaro, Busot. Updated on 6 August 2026.
This article gives general information, checked against the sources cited on the date shown. It replaces neither your insurance policy nor the judgement of your insurer or of a legal professional. Domivaro carries out upkeep and written records of condition, not a private security activity.
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