Right to housing

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.

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 current regulatory framework

In Barcelona, the right to housing must serve to guarantee a decent life for everyone. For this reason, the Barcelona City Council, even though it has no competence in housing, is working hard to implement a policy that will allow progress and change the paradigm of the right to housing.

Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights recognises the right to housing as part of the right to an adequate standard of living, stating that “everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control”.

In the State, the necessary legal context comes from Article 47 of the Constitution, which states: “All citizens have the right to decent and adequate housing. The public authorities must promote the necessary conditions and establish the relevant rules to make this right effective, and regulate the use of land in accordance with the general interest in order to prevent speculation”.

And also the Statute of Autonomy of Catalonia, in its article 26, establishes that “people who do not have sufficient resources have the right to have access to decent housing, so the public authorities must establish by law a system of measures that guarantee this right, with the conditions determined by the laws”.

In addition, in May 2023, Law 12/2023 of 24 May on the right to housing, the first in the country since the promulgation of the Constitution, was finally approved. It entered into force on 26 May last year and brings with it a series of changes affecting both tenants and owners.

The Council is working on the right to housing, applying what the law provides and using all available mechanisms to facilitate access to and maintenance of housing, while providing solutions to housing emergencies. At the same time, a new strategic framework is being developed to ensure the right to housing with a cross-cutting and shared view from all administrations.

Highlights

Make an appointment at your nearest housing office

Housing