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.​

Grants for the refurbishments of residential buildings that satisfy energy efficiency requirements

For a more efficient, more environmentally responsible and more humane neighbourhood

Let’s improve the neighbourhood to make it more sustainable and more efficient

The purpose of the Neighbourhood Restoration Grant Scheme is to finance the carrying out of restoration or refurbishment works to predominantly residential buildings, including single-household buildings and town planning or revised town planning for public spaces within action areas called Residential Environments for Programmed Restoration (ERRP) that have been established in settlements of any population size.

In the same vein, the Municipal Renovation Office (ORM) centrally manages the operation areas of the Neighborhood Plan, within the Programmed Renovation Residential Environments (ERRP)'s call, financed by the European Union-Next GenerationEU.

The following operation areas are included in the Neighborhood Plan:

  • Ciutat Vella: El Gòtic Sur, El Raval.
  • Sants-Montjuïc: El Poblesec, La Marina del Prat Vermell, La Marina de Port.
  • Horta-Guinardó: Sant Genís dels Agudells, La Teixonera, El Carmel, Can Baró.
  • Nou Barris: La Trinitat Nova, Ciutat Meridiana, Torre Baró, La Vallbona, Les Roquetes, El Turó de la Peira, Verdun, La Prosperitat.
  • Sant Andreu: El Bon Pastor, Baró de Viver, La Trinitat Vella (except Trinitat Vella urban regeneration area).
  • Sant Martí: La Verneda, La Pau (except La Pau urban regeneration area), El Besòs and Maresme (except SO Besos urban regeneration area).

On the other hand, a centralized management office is established for the urban regeneration operation areas: the Regeneration Office. The operation areas at neighborhood level are the following ones:

  • Besos-Maresme
  • Canyelles
  • Trinitat Vella
  • Can Peguera
  • La Pau
  • Congress-Indians

The Regeneration Office is located at Calle Bolivia, 250 (Provençals del Poblenou). You can also contact them by email inforegeneraciourbana@bcn.cat, and you will receive a response within in the next 72 hours at the most.

Would you like to know how to apply for neighborhood refurbishment grants?

These dropdowns explain the requirements and process to apply for these grants.

Recipients

Owners’ Associations and owners of vertical properties, whether incorporated or not.

Requirements

The requirements are the same as those for Grants for Building Refurbishment, provided they are included in the framework of Neighbourhood Plans. If your Building is included in the Urban Regeneration framework you can check the requirments on the website of the Municipal Town Planning Insitute (Instituto Municipal de Urbanismo) (IMU).

Amount and term of the request

The proportion of the cost that can be grant-funded is directly proportionate to the reduction in consumption of Non-Renewable Primary Energy (EPNR) (less than the Building Book):

  • 40% grant: when the reduction in consumption of EPNR is equal to or greater than 30% (maximum of €8,100 per dwelling).
  • 65% grant: when the reduction in consumption of EPNR is equal to or greater than 45% (maximum of €14,500 per dwelling).
  • 80% grant: when the reduction in consumption of EPNR is equal to or greater than 60% (maximum of €21,400 per dwelling).
  • Grants of up to 100% may be awarded in the case of persons in situations of vulnerability.

Other informations

Grants in the framework of Residential Environments for Programmed Refurbishment (ERRP) are approved by the Ministry of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda (MITMA).

Below, you can consult the different agreements of the bilateral commission held on May 22, 2023 between the Ministry of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda of the Government of Spain, the Housing Secretariat of the Generalitat de Catalunya and the Housing Consortium of Barcelona.

Agreement nº47 of the bilateral commission, regarding the programmed renovation residential environment of 'IMHAB. Fase I'

Agreement nº48 of the bilateral commission, regarding the programmed renovation residential environment of 'Pla de Barris. Fase I'

Agreement nº49 of the bilateral commission, regarding the programmed renovation residential environment of 'IMU. Fase I'