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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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Energy Advice Points attend to nearly 36,000 people

Energy Advice Points attend to nearly 36,000 people

15/10/2024 - 15:41

Housing. The service has attended to a total of 222,027 people since it was set up in 2016.

In all, 35,902 people were attended to in 2023 at the city’s Energy Advice Points (PAE), the municipal service to detect and reduce energy poverty and improve the efficiency of vulnerable households. The figure is the highest since this service was set up in 2016.

Since the creation of the city’s Energy Advice Points, to guarantee the application of Act 24/2015 and protect people’s energy rights, the points have attended to a total of 222,027 people. Similarly, since the start of the service, wholly funded by the City Council and managed through specialist organisations, assistance has been provided for 87,350 households (over 14,600 in 2023) and a stop has been put to basic utilities being cut off in 167,233 cases in the city (44,449 in 2023 alone).

These points provide support for energy vulnerable households that cannot maintain suitable temperatures at home, that are behind with paying their utility bills or have structural building issues. The service is aimed at the entire population in Barcelona, but mainly at those who suffer energy poverty and cases where there are vulnerability indicators. Specifically, between 2017 and 2023, some 40% of PAE users could not maintain their homes at a suitable temperature, 23% were behind in paying their bills, 11% had leaks or damp problems at home, 13% had respiratory illnesses and 7% were single-parent families.

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