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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.​

The City Council signs the transfer of three municipal plots to co-housing cooperatives

05/07/2021 - 18:58

Housing. Fem Ciutat, La Regadora and Torrent Viu will have about 150 properties to increase the public housing stock in the city.

Barcelona City Council has signed the transfer of three municipal plots to build cooperative housing developments, which will add 150 properties to the public housing stock in the city. These are Fem Ciutat, at Avinguda de l’Estatut 15-17 (Horta – Guinardó), which has 105 properties, 100 car parking spaces and 41 motorbike spaces, 14 storerooms and 4 business premises; La Regadora, at Les Casernes de Sant Andreu, with 35 properties and one business premise; and Torrent Viu, at Carrer General Vives 4, with 16 properties. Works at La Regadora and Torrent Viu are scheduled to finished before June 2023, and those at Fem Ciutat before July 2025.

The three projects have been presented bearing in mind sustainable and environmental criteria. For example, the Torrent Viu project aims to make the most of the possibilities and environment of the natural corridor that connects La Serra de Collserola with the network of green spaces in Barcelona. So the building is planned to back on to the Ronda de Dalt and open on to Parc de Joan Raventós, a point that connects with the heart of Sarrià. Furthermore, the proposed building will have an A energy classification for its energy demand as well as the CO2 emissions.

These plots come from the second tender of public plots allocated for co-housing by Barcelona City Council and continue the intention of City Hall to expand the public housing stock to offer decent housing, prevent real estate speculation, promote cooperativism and strengthen the solidarity economy and social fabric.

More co-housing in the city

Co-housing comprises the transfer, by the City Council or a private owner, of an unused property or site on which the cooperative can build. The transfer is for 75 years, although it can be extended to 90, and the cooperative is commissioned with building or renovating and managing the housing. At the end of this period, the property that has been built becomes municipal property.

This model started in the city in 2015, with the signing of two agreements as a pilot test. Princesa 49 and La Borda were the first two cooperatives to join this initiative with 33 dwellings and made Barcelona the first city in Spain to commit to this kind of housing solution. In 2016 the first tender was set up in which four developments were awarded in La Xarxaire, La Chalmeta, Cirerers and La Balma. The works are about to be completed and will add 89 more dwellings to the city. With this new transfer to Fem Ciutat, La Regadora and Torrent Viu the public housing stock of the city will have more than 200 dwellings and will enable over 500 people to be housed.