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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.​

Five families in Barcelona receive keys to emergency housing

26/04/2023 - 17:03

Housing. The Barcelona Housing Consortium delivers apartments each month to vulnerable families through the Emergency Board.

A total of five families in vulnerable situations received the keys on Wednesday, April 26th, to access a new dignified and affordable housing unit. This was made possible through the use of a resource such as the Emergency Board, a mechanism available to the Barcelona Housing Consortium for delivering apartments every month from the Social Rental Fund. The housing units assigned this month belong to three different districts: Nou Barris (three families), Sant Andreu (one), and Sant Martí (one). 

To be eligible for this type of housing, all recipient families in a vulnerable situation have followed the established procedure, which involves first contacting the Barcelona Housing Offices by appointment to request an assessment and report on their particular case.

From here, the Emergency Board carries out an evaluation and analysis of the files received to allocate the available housing. The allocation history can be consulted at this link.

The homes of the Social Rental Fund are intended for cohabitation units at risk of residential exclusion, such as being in the process of eviction due to rental debt, foreclosure, or surrender of the property as payment for a mortgage debt, or the property in question there are minors, elderly people or those living in a situation of neglect, in precarious hygienic, sanitary and safety conditions.

If the number of available apartments for allocation is insufficient to respond to all files positively evaluated by the Board, homes will be assigned as they are added to the Social Rental Fund until the next month’s Emergency Board meeting. For more information on this, including the Board’s regulations, please visit the Consortium’s website.