Tanca Tanca

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
  2. Latest news
  3. The Barcelona Social Housing Council approves the creation of new working groups

The Barcelona Social Housing Council approves the creation of new working groups

The Barcelona Social Housing Council approves the creation of new working groups

17/05/2024 - 12:22

Housing. The working groups will focus on the stressed market area, community land management, the new Housing Plan and monitoring developments to expand the public housing stock.

At the latest meeting of the Permanent Commission of the Barcelona Social Housing Council (CHSB), the creation of new working groups was approved to address the future needs of the city’s housing sector.

Joan Ramon Riera, Housing Commissioner of Barcelona City Council, and Joan Recasens, Secretary of the CHSB, presented the different proposals. Specifically, four groups will be set up:

  • Stressed market area
  • Community Land Manager
  • New Housing Plan
  • Promotion tracking

Stressed Market Area Working Group

This group will meet twice a year to monitor the development of stressed market areas in the city. This will be achieved through data collected from indicators proposed by the Metropolitan Housing Observatory.

Community Land Manager Working Group

This group will serve as a platform for discussion and reflection on the creation of a Barcelona model of Community Land Trust (CLT), a semi-public legal entity designed to secure land and protect the legitimate use rights of residents. The group will explore international experiences, share lessons learned and consider how to implement this model in Barcelona.

The CLT concept originated in the rural south of the United States in the 1960s and spread across the country in the 1990s. Since 2000, it has been implemented in the UK, Belgium, France, Scotland, Ireland, Germany and the Netherlands.

Features of the model:

  • The CLT owns the land and grants long-term surface rights.
  • The board is made up of residents, community or social organisations and public authorities.
  • Resale formulas and allocation criteria are included to ensure long-term affordability.

New Housing Plan Working Group

As the Right to Housing Plan expires in 2025, this working group has been created to reflect on the development of the future Barcelona Housing Plan and to outline lines of action. Key issues for discussion will include

  • Universalising the right to housing by increasing the stock of accessible and social housing.
  • Renovating and improving housing to make it sustainable, accessible and comfortable.
  • Supporting vulnerable groups, addressing demographic challenges and taking into account different life stages.

Promotions Tracking Working Group

Proposed by the Hàbitat3 Foundation, this group will focus on the expansion of the public housing stock. It will monitor the four main promotion packages involving the Generalitat, focusing on financing and subsidies, private land allocated for social housing and other elements relevant to stakeholders.

The Barcelona Social Housing Council

The CHSB is the consultative and participatory body of the Barcelona Housing Consortium. Created in 2007, it facilitates the exchange of opinions, proposals and analyses on housing in the city. It has around one hundred members representing the Generalitat de Catalunya, Barcelona City Council, non-profit social organisations, cooperatives, neighbourhood movements, universities, professional associations and trade unions, among others.

In order to better manage its tasks, it includes working groups on specific topics:

  • Renovation
  • Cooperative Housing Board
  • Energy Poverty
  • Specific Groups
  • Municipal Housing Council for social policy
  • Industrial production of sustainable housing
  • Territorial Sectoral Housing Plan

More info