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.​

Public housing as the key to building the future

14/05/2021 - 14:36

Housing. A record figure of 34 developments and 2,329 flats are currently under construction in the Barcelona.

Historical milestone in the growth of the city’s public housing stock, with 34 developments and 2,329 flats under construction. Most homes will be offered with social rents, providing affordable quality housing.

The municipal public housing strategy adopted since 2015 has focused on redressing decades of policies where priority was given to the sale of new-build public housing. The promotion of a new housing model to offer affordable rents, leaseholds and co-housing guarantees control and the public ownership of property, which is fundamental for defending everybody’s right to housing.

More public housing than ever under construction

The 34 developments currently under construction represent a record figure, as there have never been so many new projects under way. The Municipal Institute for Housing and Renovation (IMHAB) will be offering 80% of the 2,329 flats with social and affordable rents, a percentage which must boost the public housing stock, based on combating gentrification and property speculation and guaranteeing the most vulnerable people access to a home.

The 2,329 homes are at the final stage in the production process and are due to be completed in 2024. The distribution of flats is:

  • Affordable rents: 1,782 homes.
  • People affected by urban changes: 154 homes.
  • Leaseholds of 75 years: 304 homes.
  • Co-housing: 89 flats.

By district, the homes are distributed thus:

  • Ciutat Vella: 1 development, 8 homes
  • L’Eixample: 2 developments, 285 homes
  • Sants-Montjuïc: 4 developments, 446 homes
  • Gràcia: 3 developments, 145 homes
  • Nou Barris: 5 developments, 257 homes
  • Sant Andreu: 9 developments, 675 homes
  • Sant Martí: 10 developments, 513 homes

Besides the new-build homes, the public housing stock is also being increased through the purchase of flats on the private market, with 900 homes acquired to date. In parallel, the mixed operator Habitatge Metròpolis Barcelona, along with the Metropolitan Area, is to build up to 2,250 homes with affordable rents, while an agreement with social housing foundations and cooperatives will see a further 1,000 rental and co-housing homes built.

La Marina del Prat Vermell, the neighbourhood with the most housing under construction

The Municipal Institute for Housing and Renovation (IMHAB) has allocated 57 million euros for the construction of 446 homes in the neighbourhood of La Marina del Prat Vermell, 352 of which will be for rent, 62 with leaseholds and 32 for co-housing. Along with the 68 homes at Cal Cisó, a public development promoted by the City Council and the Zona Franca Consortium where tenants have already taken possession, nearly 1,200 people in this neighbourhood will be living in public housing.

Developments under construction include the one at C/ Ulldecona, 2, a project with 72 homes distributed on six floors, with 60 two-bedroom flats, 6 one-bedroom flats and 6 adapted flats for people with reduced mobility. In addition, the development will have communal areas, green rooftops, bike parking and communal garden spaces. The project involves an investment of 9.2 million euros and should be completed in the first quarter of 2024.

Goal for the public housing stock

To put the rhythm of construction into context, the 2,329 flats in progress in the city represent a volume equivalent to 30% of the 7,500 homes in the public housing stock in 2015, without counting the developments already finished and the acquisitions made in the last six years.

The investment of 316 million euros to build public housing will also generate over 3,350 jobs in the post-Covid scenario, helping meet a significant need in the construction sector. These jobs are also the result of the alliance between the public sector and professionals and companies.

The joint effort by the Municipal Institute for Housing and Renovation and Barcelona City Council is essential for achieving the goals in the Right to Housing Plan 2016-2025, doubling the public housing stock to reach the figure of 12,000 publicly owned homes in the city.