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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.​

Eight families receive the keys to the Emergency Board flats

26/05/2022 - 17:10

Housing. Each month the Housing Consortium provides homes to people in vulnerable situations

Each month, the Barcelona Housing Consortium provides social rental fund homes to families in vulnerable situations. This morning, the Housing Councillor of Barcelona City Council, Lucía Martín, has handed over the keys to the flats where eight families who are facing economic difficulties and who are at risk of losing their homes will live from now on.

The flats from the social rental fund are intended for people in a situation of economic and social emergency. These are people who, for example, are at risk of losing their homes through an eviction process due to being in arrears with their rent, repossessions due to being in arrears with their mortgage payments, women in a situation of residential exclusion due to violence or where there are minors living in the home, or for the elderly or people in a situation of neglect or in which their hygiene, health and safety conditions are precarious.

The Housing Offices are responsible for processing the Emergency Board’s application. They will study the case and prepare a report that the Emergency Board will evaluate in order to allocate the available homes from the Social Rental Fund. This award process is done once a month. If there are not enough flats available to cover to all the positively valued applications, they will be awarded houses from the “Pisos Buits” (Empty Flats) Programme as they become available until the Board holds its meeting the following month. Families who find themselves in a vulnerable situation and who wish to apply for rehousing have to contact the “Habitatge et truca” (“Housing calls you”) service.

You will find all the information and the regulations of the Emergency Board on the Barcelona Housing Consortium’s website.