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.​

A man reading a book at a table

Status: NOT AVAILABLE

Recipients: People with difficulties paying the rent and derived from a mediation process

Family income limit: Between 2 and 3 times the IRSC*

Maximum monthly rent: 970€ (in the case of benefits from a reliable communication of expiration of the contract, the amount of the new rental agreement cannot be higher than the reference price index for the rental price, provided that this is lower than the maximum limit of 970 euros provided as a general rule)

Administration that grants the aid: Housing Consortium of Barcelona

Details of the aid

Municipal aid for rent payment

Aid for rent payment helps achieve two objectives.

  • First of all, it allows people to keep their habitual residence, guaranteeing they can remain in a familiar place and preventing the traumatic process of losing a home.
  • Secondly, when a home is lost due to eviction and foreclosure, those affected are provided with a new rental contract and financial assistance.

The municipal aid for rent payment is financial assistance for tenants with difficulties paying their monthly rent. This aid, which is granted after mediation between the parties involved and the City Council, allows the tenant to keep their home and prevents social exclusion.

This aid is intended for persons residing in the city of Barcelona, ​​who are holders of a rental contract corresponding to their habitual and permanent residence.

What do you need to know to request this help?

In these sections, you can learn about the eligibility requirements and the steps you must take to request this aid. The application can be presented at any Housing Office of Barcelona.

Recipients

  • People who formalize a rental contract for a home once their stay and inclusion process in a residential resource of the Xarxa d'Habitatges d'Inclusió de Barcelona in the last 6 months or in a residential resource for women victims of gender-based violence where the referring service is SARA (Servei d'Atenció, Recuperació i Acollida) or ABITS (Agència per l'abordatge Integral del Treball Sexual) of the Department of Feminisms and LGTBI of the Barcelona City Council, as well as people who, at the request of the Valuation Committee for the allocation of housing for social emergencies, have lost their habitual residence and formalize a new rental contract. 
  • People assisted by the mediation service of the Xarxa d'Oficines d'Habitatge de Barcelona and who: 
    • Have signed a rental contract through the Borsa d'Habitatge de Lloguer de Barcelona.
    • Have agreed to a minimum reduction of €50 per month in the rent receipt, provided they submit the request for these benefits within a maximum period of 120 natural days from the date of the signed agreement with the property owner. Exceptionally, the requirement for a rent reduction agreement will not be required if there is a judicial procedure for non-payment of the same housing rent or if there is a written communication claiming the rent debt by the property owner. 
    • Have received a written communication from the property owner warning of the termination of the rental contract and, through the mediation services of the housing offices, are able to maintain it.
  • Households that have been beneficiaries of the temporary guaranteed assistance and/or the access support service to housing provided by the Àrea de Drets Socials of the Barcelona City Council, provided they submit the request for these benefits within a maximum period of 60 days from the date of the end of the effects of the temporary guaranteed assistance and/or the access support service to housing. 

Requirements

The intended beneficiaries must meet the following requirements:

  • That the monthly net income of the household does not exceed 2 times the IRSC, if they are single individuals, 2.5 times the IRSC if they are households, or 3 times the IRSC for individuals with disabilities or high dependency, weighted according to the location of the dwelling and the number of members in the household. The weighting of incomes is shown in the 2023 IRSC table in Annex 1.  
  • To dedicate more than 30% of the household's net monthly income to paying the rent for their habitual and permanent residence.
  • To have incurred rental arrears or be in a situation of difficulty in meeting the economic obligations arising from the rental contract for their habitual residence due to an objective lack of economic resources.
  • To guarantee that they are in a position to continue paying the rent for their habitual and permanent residence. This requirement is considered to be met when, at a minimum, the amount of the aid granted and the monthly income of the household are sufficient to cover the rent amount.
  • To have the payment of the aid domiciled in a financial institution.
  • To pay the rent for the requested housing through a bank transfer or direct debit from a bank account held by the applicant, deposit into an account, or receipt issued by the property administrator, at least from the month following the date of submission of the application.
  • The monthly rent amount of the housing for which aid is requested must not exceed 970 euros, except for the benefits regulated in section 2.b.3), in which case the amount of the new rental contract cannot exceed the reference price index for rentals published by the Agència de l'Habitatge de Catalunya, and always within the limit of the 970 euros provided for generally.
  • The rental contract must be for housing located in Barcelona and intended for the applicant's habitual and permanent residence, understood as the one that constitutes their home according to the corresponding municipal register.
  • To demonstrate legal residency in the city of Barcelona. To address specific and urgent housing situations, it is sufficient to demonstrate 6 months of immediate registration prior to the date of application by the applicant.
  • To be registered in the housing for which the aid is requested.
  • The applicant or any other member of the household must not own or have usufruct of a property, unless they do not have use and enjoyment of it due to separation or divorce, or for any other reason beyond their control, or when the property is inaccessible due to disability of the owner or any member of the household. It is not considered that the applicant or any other member of the household owns or has usufruct of a property if the right only applies to an aliquot part of the property and has been obtained through inheritance.
  • The tenant named on the lease or any other member of the household must not be related by marriage or any other stable analogous relationship, consanguinity, adoption or affinity up to the second degree to the landlord. This same criterion will also apply to the relationship between the landlord and the tenant, when the former is a legal entity, with any of its partners.
  • The household must not have a tax base of savings on the income tax return exceeding 500 euros. This prohibition does not apply if this amount results from a deed in lieu of foreclosure resulting from a mortgage foreclosure on a property that has been the applicant's habitual and permanent residence.
  • Tenants of properties owned or managed by the Agència de l'Habitatge de Catalunya or the Institut Municipal d'Habitatge i Rehabilitació de Barcelona, as well as subsidized housing under public programs, are not eligible for these benefits.
  • Individuals who have been granted a social emergency economic benefit resulting from mediation in the city of Barcelona in the 2022 call for the same property, except in cases of separation or divorce duly proven or a formal demand for non-payment of rent, cannot be beneficiaries of these benefits.

Documentation

Together with the application, the following documentation must be submitted:

  • Standardized bank data form for making the payment of the benefit in the name of the applicant, signed by the applicant and with the conformity endorsement of the banking entity, or standardized bank data form duly signed by the applicant together with a certificate of ownership of the current account or the original and photocopy or certified photocopy of the bankbook.
  • Standardized sworn declaration of income and compliance with the requirements established in the call, duly signed by the applicant, and if applicable, by all working-age members of the household.
  • ID card/ Tax identification number/ Foreigner identification number/ Passport or valid equivalent document of the applicant and all members of the household who are of legal age. In the event that any member of the household does not have an ID card/Tax identification number/Foreigner identification number/Passport, they must provide the identification document they have.
  • Certificate or proof of cohabitation from the Barcelona City Council that certifies the domicile of the applicant and the members of the household.
  • Proof of income for each person in the household who is of legal working age.
    • Original and photocopy or certified photocopy of the closed fiscal year's Personal Income Tax (IRPF), or if not required, a certificate of tax withholdings.
    • Original and photocopy or certified photocopy of the three most recent payslips prior to the date of submission of the application. In the case of self-employed workers, they must provide the last one or several quarterly IRPF declarations.
    • In the case of unemployed persons or pensions/benefits, certificate/s issued by the paying entity/entities of the amount to be received during the current year.
    • Sworn declaration of income in exceptional situations, in which the person requesting the benefit or some members of the household cannot justify the income with the documentation mentioned in the previous sections.
  • Authorization from the applicant and all working-age members of the household for the agencies managing the applications to request and obtain data related to the processing and follow-up of the application from other public bodies.
  • Original and photocopy or certified photocopy of the family book, if applicable.
  • Work history report issued by the Social Security Treasury for the applicant and all working-age persons who are part of the household unit.
  • Original and photocopy or certified photocopy of the rental contract in the name of the applicant. In the case of rental contracts with effects from June 1, 2013, proof of the tenant's obligation to pay the security deposit to the landlord must be provided.
  • Rental receipt for the previous month and the month in which the application is submitted. Exceptionally, in cases of applications with debt generated and claimed by the property, either judicially or extrajudicially, the last two paid receipts and documentation relating to the debt claim must be provided.
  • Accreditation from the Department of Labor, Social Affairs, and Families, in the case of persons with disabilities.
  • Socioeconomic report issued by the primary care municipal social services or a specialized service on the household unit's economic situation, in accordance with the provisions of Regulatory Base 7.c).
  • Single-parent family card, if applicable.
  • In cases of rental payment by bank transfer or deposit, proof that the current account into which the rental payment is made is owned by the homeowner or property administrator must be provided.
  • In the case of separation or divorce, it is necessary to provide a court order, if applicable, together with the regulatory agreement.
  • The Barcelona Housing Consortium may request any other supplementary documentation to expand its knowledge about the submitted application.

Specific documentation:
 
Specific documentation for the benefits outlined in point 2.a) of this call::

  • Signed report by the director of the managing entity of the social inclusion housing, accrediting that the requesting household of these benefits has achieved the established objectives in the insertion process and has not resided in one of the residential resources managed by the entity that is part of the Xarxa d’habitatges d’inclusió de Barcelona in the last 6 months, or
  • Signed report by the director of the SARA Service (Servei d’Atenció, Recuperació i Acollida) or ABITS (Agència per l’abordatge Integral del Treball Sexual) of the Department of Feminismes y LGTBI of the Barcelona City Council accrediting that the requesting household has achieved the established objectives and has left one of the residential resources for women victims of macho violence, or
  • Report from the Secretariat of the Assessment Board for the allocation of emergency social housing due to loss of housing.

Specific documentation for the benefits provided in section 2.b) of this call:

  • If applicable, rental agreement signed through the Borsa d’Habitatge de Lloguer de Barcelona program.
  • If applicable, agreement signed with the property specifying, at a minimum, the economic reduction made by the landlord, the effective date, and the final rent amount to be paid by the tenant, as well as a rent payment receipt indicating the rental amount after the reduction agreed upon by the property.
  • In the event of legal action for non-payment of rent or communication from the property owner regarding the debt generated from unpaid rent, the written communication can be via registered letter with acknowledgment of receipt, certified letter with return receipt, or a document signed and dated by both parties, landlord or their representative and tenant, specifying the months and amount owed.
  • In the event of written communication from the property owner regarding the termination of the rental contract, the written communication can be via registered letter with acknowledgment of receipt, certified letter with return receipt, or a document signed and dated by both parties, landlord or their representative and tenant, along with a report from the housing office intervention and the new rental contract signed for the same dwelling.

Specific documentation required for section 2.c) of this call for applications:

  • Report from the Municipal Institute of Social Services of Barcelona certifying the conditions and terms of receiving the Temporary Guaranteed Assistance and/or the Housing Access Support Service.

Applicants who authorize the managing body to electronically obtain the necessary data for the management and maintenance of these benefits do not need to provide documentation for sections 6.1.b), 6.1.c.1), 6.1.c.3), 6.1.f), 6.1.j), and 6.1.l).

 

Amount and application period

  • The monthly amount of the benefit will be determined by the difference between the rent paid by the tenant and the amount they should pay (30% of weighted income) with the limitation of Regulatory Bases 10.1 and 10.2. The minimum monthly amount of the benefit is 20 euros when the result of the calculations determining the amount is less than that amount. 
  • To calculate the benefit amount, the weighted income of the household will be multiplied by 0.75, which is the location coefficient for housing in Barcelona, as well as by coefficients determined based on the number of members (1 member 1; 2 members 0.97; 3 members 0.93; 4 members or more 0.90).
  • In the event that any member of the family or household has a disability, under the conditions established by personal income tax regulations, the next family composition bracket will be applied.
  • To determine the amount of the benefit, the rent receipt for the month prior to the date of application or, exceptionally, the last paid receipt in the event of debt, will be taken into account.
  • The granting resolution acknowledges the right to receive these benefits from the date of application.
  • These benefits are granted for a maximum period of twelve months.
  • The deadline for submitting applications is currently closed.
  • The deadline for the admission of benefit applications may be closed earlier depending on budget availability. The closure of the admission of benefit applications will be done through a resolution by the Manager of the Consorci de l’Habitatge de Barcelona, which will be published in the DOGC and BOPB. The submission of the application does not imply the recognition of any economic right in favor of the applicants.

Incompatibilities

These benefits are incompatible, for the same monthly payments of the current year, with other aid or benefits from public administrations or entities that have the same purpose.

In case of duplication of benefits for the same monthly payments, a partial or total revocation will be carried out according to the incurred duplication.

Other information

  • The payment of these benefits is subject to the availability of budgetary resources, and to the Consorci de l'Habitatge de Barcelona being informed that the beneficiary is up to date with their rent payments by submitting the receipts on a monthly basis.
  • The justification for payment of the aforementioned receipts must be submitted no later than the first half of the month following the rent payment. However, at the request of the beneficiary, the deadline for justification may be extended, but not beyond the date established in section 10.3 of this call for applications.
  • Payment of the benefit will be made by bank transfer to the financial institution where the applicant for the benefit has set up direct deposit.
  • The benefits will be paid directly to the beneficiary specified in the resolution granting the benefit.