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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.​

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The City Council is increasing the subsidy for improving the energy efficiency of homes

The City Council is increasing the subsidy for improving the energy efficiency of homes

18/02/2025 - 10:21

Housing. In the new call for applications, the amount of the grant for replacing windows, improving insulation or changing air conditioning systems has been doubled. In addition, the documentation to be submitted has been simplified, speeding up the process.

Barcelona City Council, through the Barcelona Housing Consortium, has launched a new call for grants to promote energy efficiency improvements in homes. The new features include a doubling of the aid, simplified procedures and the allocation of 10,000,000 euros, half of which comes from EU Next Generation funds and the other half from municipal funds.

With the aim of mitigating the effects of climate change and building a more sustainable city, these grants will be used to replace windows, improve the insulation of the façade or roof from the inside of the house and replace fossil fuel air conditioning systems with renewable energy.

More money and a streamlined process

The grants were already available, but now the amount has been doubled from up to 3,000 euros to up to 6,000 euros.

In addition, the process can be completed online and the paperwork to be submitted has been streamlined from twelve forms to four.

Who can apply for the grant?

The grant can be applied for by owners, usufructuaries or tenants of dwellings that are their habitual and permanent residence, and the amount cannot exceed the total cost of the investment. The works must be completed before 30 June 2026 and the cost must be at least 1,000 euros.

The amount to be subsidised may include the fees of the professionals involved, the costs of drawing up projects, technical reports and the necessary certificates, the costs of administrative processing and other similar general costs, provided that everything is duly justified.

Now is the time to renovate

Renovating a home helps improve safety, health, accessibility and energy efficiency, as well as making it more comfortable for the people who live there. It can also reduce polluting emissions, save energy and reduce fuel poverty.

From the start of the EU’s Next Generation programme in 2022 to the end of 2024, almost 5,000 applications for renovation have been received, for a total of €47.7 million from Next Generation and €19.6 million from the municipal top-up.

The City Council’s aim is to renovate 11,640 homes by 30 June 2026 (the end date of the European programme).

More info