Information and Attention Office of the Municipal Institute of Barcelona’s Municipal Institute of Housing and Renovation (IMHAB)

Housing Glossary

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

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Accrued interest

The interest applied as a penalisation when the debtor does not comply with repayment obligations. The amount must be established in the contract.

Active supermortgage

This allows the client to choose their loan's benchmark index (MIBOR at three months, six months or a year) so that payment can benefit from lower interest rates sooner.

Adaptable instalment

Characteristic of UCI superloans that allow the borrower to not pay one instalment a year for the first three years if there are problems due to holidays, extraordinary expenses, etc.

Advanced cancellation fee

A commission arising from the financial risk involved in the advanced cancellation of an operation. The applied commission compensates the financial institution for its financial losses.

AEDE

Direct state aid for paying the deposit on a property.

Affordable housing

Group of social housing or dwellings from social renovation projects that are sold or rented at below-market prices.

Affordable rent

The cost of renting these dwellings is below market prices after being included in operations concerning the rented flat pool, social renovation or social housing promotions.

Amortisation

Payment made to repay a loan.

Amortisation period

The duration of the loan. The contract establishes the date of the first and last payments. The longer the period, the lower the payments are, but the higher the interest. You therefore pay more in the end. The monthly instalment should not exceed 35% of your net income.

API

Estate agent. A qualified professional who acts as an intermediary between the two interested parties to facilitate the signing of a real estate contract, which can be a rental agreement, a sales agreement or another similar contract. They usually charge a percentage of the sales price as compensation or commission.

Applicant

A citizen who makes a registration application to the Barcelona Social Housing Applicants Registry, and who represents the other members of the dwelling unit included in the application.

APR

Annual Equivalent Rate. Effective annual cost of the mortgage in terms of interest, commissions and the repayment period. To compare loans, it is not enough to just look at the lowest APR, you also have to compare the conditions, the repayment period and the distribution of instalment payments.

Arbitri municipal de plusvàlua

Former denomination of the capital gains tax on landed property.

Assessment

The value of a dwelling certified by a specialised assessment company, in accordance with the mortgage market law. This certificate not only indicates the real value of the property, it also serves as a reference for obtaining the necessary financing.

Authorisation

Document in which the owner authorises the tenant to carry out building work in the dwelling's interior.

IN PERSON WITH AN APPOINTMENT: For information and paperwork relating to the public housing stock (contractual and economic), for the payment of bills and rent reductions. By calling 010 Monday to Sunday from 7 am to 11 pm. Or through IMHAB website users' area.

BY TELEPHONE OR EMAIL: For information relating to the public housing stock and to file complaints, suggestions or claims. By calling: 932 915 404 / 932 915 424. Monday to Friday from 9 am to 2 pm. Or sending an e-mail to imhab@imhab.cat. For maintenance requests. By calling: 932 915 411. Monday to Friday from 9 am to 9 pm. Or sending an e-mail to avismanteniment@imhab.cat

BY INTERNET: For the payment of available rent bills and consulting bills, filing petitions, obtaining rent or property tax, or general information consultations. Through IMHAB website users' area.

Procedures and information requests at IMHAB

Barcelona’s Municipal Institute of Housing and Renovation office is the meeting place for citizens to find answers to any questions relating to the public housing stock; IMHAB currently manages over 7,000 rental flats throughout the city.

For any public housing stock matter, the IMHAB office has a team of specialists who can provide general information or carry out related procedures.

Bills and cash payments
Bond payments
Public housing stock information and paperwork
- Economic procedures
- Contractual procedures
Rent reductions
- Application for rent reduction
- Filing of documentation to process the rent reduction
- Signing of rent reduction appendix

An appointment in person must be booked in advance with the IMHAB office to carry out any of these procedures. You can book an appointment:

By telephone, from 7 am to 11 pm, Monday to Sunday, on 010.
By Internet through the Virtual Procedures Office.

Procedures can also be done with the IMHAB office by telephone or internet:

For information relating to the public housing stock and to file complaints, suggestions or claims: by calling 932 915 404 or 932 915 424, Monday to Friday between 9 am and 2 pm, or sending an e-mail to imhab@imhab.cat.
For maintenance requests, by calling 932 915 411, Monday to Friday between 9 am and 9 pm, or sending an e-mail to avismanteniment@imhab.cat.
For the payment of available rent bills and consulting bills, filing petitions, obtaining rent or property tax, or for general information consultations: through IMHAB website users’ area, portal.imhab.cat.

The IMHAB office is at c/ Doctor Aiguader 26-36 and public opening hours are Monday to Friday from 9 am to 2 pm and Thursday afternoon from 4 to 6 pm, to receive information.

For anything related to receipts and cash payments, the service hours are on Monday to Friday, 9 am to 1:30 pm, and Thursday, 4 pm to 6 pm (except May 1 to September 30). On the last business day of the month, the cashier closes at 12:30 pm.

Summer opening hours are applied from May to September, both inclusive. During this period, the office is closed every afternoon.

Highlights

Public housing as the key to building the future