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Housing Glossary

You will find information here on all topics relating to housing in Barcelona

Deed

A document that declares that one or more persons contract a signed commitment, authorised by a notary public, which means it can be recorded in the corresponding registry. Producing a deed means the action has been legally formalised.

Deposit

An amount that is equivalent to one month's rent, which the tenant pays to the property owner as a guarantee. It is equivalent to one month's rent in the case of a first home, and to two months in other cases, and it is deposited in the place designated by the autonomous community. It is returned when the rental agreement terminates, if the tenants leave the accommodation in the same conditions as they found it. In addition to the deposit, the owner may ask for another guarantee, such as a third-party guarantee.

Deposit (Arres)

Money that is the equivalent of part of the accommodation's price, which the future buyer gives to the seller as a guarantee of purchasing the property within a specified period of time. If the deadline expires, the buyer loses the deposit. If the seller does not respect the agreed period and sells the property to someone else, they then have to pay back double the amount given as the deposit. If the operation is successfully closed, the deposit is considered to be a payment on account.

Development land

Land that is not considered to be urban or non-development land, but which may become urban land, when provided with minimum urban services, so that it can be built on.

Differential

The percentage added to the benchmark index for each interest rate modification on variable-interest loans.

Documented legal act

A legal document to which a tax is applied.

Dominion

Property ownership.

Dwelling unit

Any group of people who can prove that they live in the same home or make a commitment to do so, whether they are related to each other or not. This can be a single person or made up of various people: future dwelling units, married couples and unmarried couples registered in the municipal registry, etc.