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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 Barcelona Rental Regulation Working Group meets to analyse the decline in average rents

The Barcelona Rental Regulation Working Group meets to analyse the decline in average rents

04/11/2024 - 16:28

Housing. At the meeting, the report of the Barcelona Metropolitan Housing Observatory was presented, which provides an overview of the second quarter of 2024, including the evolution of new contracts and rental prices.

The Barcelona Rental Regulation Working Group of the Barcelona Social Housing Council has met to analyse the 5.2% decline in the average rental price in the city during the second quarter of this year, confirming the effect of the coming into force of the regulation. During this period, the average rent was 1,131.80 euros per month, a figure taken from the first ‘Biannual Monitoring Report of the Barcelona Residential Market Zone (ZMRT)’, prepared by the Barcelona Metropolitan Housing Observatory.

The study was carried out mainly on the basis of data published by the Housing Secretariat of the Generalitat de Catalunya, supplemented by “other information that facilitates its interpretation”, the authors point out. The Rental Regulation came into force on 16 March, so 75% of the new contracts in which the deposit was paid into the Incasòl were signed under this new regulation.

Other conclusions that can be drawn from this report are:

  • A total of 7,939 new rental contracts were registered with Incasòl in the city of Barcelona, 19.2% less than in the previous quarter and 23.5% less than last year.
  • 3,190 sales transactions were registered in the city of Barcelona, 10.6% less than in the previous quarter and 16.9% less than a year ago.
  • In terms of complaints and claims against companies for non-compliance with the law, the following were filed:
    • 17 complaints related to fees (deposits, seasonal rentals and habitual residence…).
    • 6 complaints for the recovery of real estate costs.
    • 14 complaints for the collection of estate agent fees.
    • 1 complaint for a price higher than the rental reference index.
    • 1 complaint concerning the price of the rental of the property.

Joan Ramon Riera, the City Council’s Housing Commissioner, has stressed that “rent control is beginning to produce results, in terms of prices and the number of contracts” and has defended the intervention in regulation because “it is becoming clear that the logic of the market is not resolving housing needs”. He has also addressed other cities in the State, inviting them to analyse these data.

The Barcelona Rental Regulation Working Group

Last May, the Permanent Commission of the Barcelona Social Housing Council approved the creation of new working groups, including this one to monitor the regulation of rentals in the city.

The first inaugural meeting was held in June and is made up of the main actors and organisations in the sector, the political groups of the Barcelona City Council, municipal bodies, the Diputació de Barcelona and the Generalitat de Catalunya. Its objective is to evaluate and monitor the development of the stressed market area, as well as to follow the evolution of the rental housing stock in the city and the application of the price regulation.

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