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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.

Close glossary

Housing offices only offer face-to-face assistance by prior appointment, so check out the “Housing calls you” service here to receive the most appropriate personalised assistance. If you also need assistance in energy rights, book an appointment with an energy-advice point (PAE) by clicking here. On the other hand, if you reside in an IMHAB public dwelling you can consult our contact, management and processing channels here.​

  1. Home
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  3. Renovation
  4. Housing Refurbishment Grants

Housing Refurbishment Grants

These grants are for property owners who wish to implement measures to increase the energy efficiency of their habitual residence.

Sustainable, efficient dwellings

Refurbishment to increase the energy efficiency of a dwelling

These grants are for owners of property who wish to implement measures to increase the energy efficiency of their habitual residence, such as modification of doors, changes to windows or changes to climate control systems that replace fossil fuels with renewable energy or biomass.

Besides the energy savings in household consumption that such measures entail, they will contribute to mitigation of the effects of climate change and to building a more sustainable country.

Highlights

Would you like to know how to apply for housing refurbishment grants?

These dropdowns explain the requirements and process to apply for these grants.

Recipients

Owners, beneficial owners and tenants of dwellings.

Requirements

Grants for energy efficiency measures or improvement works in single household dwellings or belonging to multi-household buildings.

  • Measures to be grant-supported must have commenced after 1 February 2020.
  • Grants may not be awarded for measures involving investment in boilers that use fossil fuels, although such Systems may be included in the project or final energy certification.
  • Dwellings for which grants are sought in this programme must be the habitual permanent dwellings of their owners, beneficial owners or tenants at the time of submission of the relevant application.1
  • The period for carrying out of works may not exceed 12 months from the date of award of grant and must end before 30 June 2026.

Compatibilities and Incompatibilities

  • These grants can be combined with other public funding for the same purpose, provided total support does not exceed the total cost of any scheme and the rules for such other grants so allow.
  • These grants may be combined with any other public funded support from European Union funds for different measures.
  • These grants may be combined with grants under Programme 1, Grants for measures for neighbourhood restoration, and Programme 3, Grants for measures to refurbish buildings, open for applications at the same time, provided it can be shown that the same cost is not being supported by two or more grants.

Amount and term of the request

The minimum cost of measures is €1,000. The value of the grant is 40% of the cost of works up to a maximum of €3,000.

Municipal complementary subsidy:

  • In the case of buildings located in acoustically stressed areas according to the 'Plan of Measures against Noise Pollution 2022-2030' of Barcelona, the maximum amount of aid may be increased by €500 per dwelling.

Application for these grants can be made up to 31 December 2024 or until all available funds have been allocated.

Documentation

You can consult the necessary documentation in the Call for rehabilitation grants from the Barcelona Housing Consortium, or in the direct download links for each of the documents, which are found below (More information):

More information

Other informations

Grants may be awarded for:

  • Reductions in total annual demand for heating and colling of at least 7%.
  • Reduction in consumption of non-renewable primary energy of at least 30%.
  • Where construction elements of the thermal envelope are modified or replaces and meet the limit values of thermal transmittance and air permeability in Tables 3.1.1.a and 3.1.1a of Building Code DB HE-1.
  • In all cases of reductions in demand or consumption, comparisons will be based on the Energy Efficiency Certificate in place prior to measures being implemented and the Certificate issued subsequent to measures being implemented.

Additional resources