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.

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Work gets under way on 40 publicly owned homes using industrialised methods in Sants-Montjuïc

28/07/2025 - 15:36

Housing. The building is constructed with modules produced and equipped in the factory, meaning the main structure can be assembled in just ten days.

A block of 40 publicly owned homes for young people and single-parent families is being built in Av. Carrilet, in the Bordeta neighbourhood. The block should be constructed in just ten days by assembling 48 factory-produced modules, a system that can almost halve the building time compared to conventional construction methods. Once the assembly is completed, utilities will be installed and the façades, rooftops and balconies finished.

The flats are distributed between the second and ninth floor, while the basement, the ground floor and the first floor will be used for communal spaces and a municipal facility. Each floor of housing will have five flats and residents will have access to communal services such as a dining room with a kitchen, laundry room, multi-purpose rooms and a communal terrace. The work is expected to conclude at the end of 2026 and the overall investment is over 6.7 million euros.

The modules are made with an assembly chain in parallel to the work at the site, enabling for processes to overlap and time frames to be cut. When they get to the site the modules already have a bathroom, kitchen, windows and installations, facilitating swift and secure assembly. Manufacturing in controlled environments at ground level also helps reduce labour risks, generates less waste and emissions and minimises reliance on weather conditions.

This project brings the total number of homes built with industrialised methods to 421, shared between nine developments. Of these, 207 have already been handed over, 54 are temporary APROP homes, 51 will be handed over soon and 109 are at different stages of execution. This type of construction, widely used in northern Europe, is becoming consolidated as way of increasing the protected housing stock in the city efficiently, safely and sustainably.