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

Draw held to allocate the 234 housing units of Illa Acer

14/10/2025 - 08:59

Housing. The numbers have been drawn to establish the order for each of the contingents in the two calls: affordable rent and surface rights.

The 234 public housing units of the Illa Acer development, located in the Sants-Montjuïc district, have now been raffled — one of the largest social housing projects promoted by the Barcelona City Council to date.

The draw, held at 1:00 p.m. this Monday, October 13, before a notary, included all household units registered in the Register of Applicants for Officially Protected Housing of Barcelona that met the eligibility requirements of the call.

Thus, numbers were drawn for each of the two calls: affordable rent (with twelve contingents) and surface rights (with eight contingents).

It’s important to note that this number determines the first applicant in each contingent eligible for housing allocation. The rest of the list in that contingent is ordered ascendingly from the number drawn, both for the main list of beneficiaries and for the waiting list, which follows the same order.

You can check the numbers drawn for each call and contingent on the website of the Register of Applicants for Officially Protected Housing of Barcelona, where all related documentation is also available.

The draw was broadcast live via YouTube streaming.

Beneficiaries will receive a notification to submit documentation

Once the draw has been held, the housing allocation process will begin. During the second half of October, the household units or individuals selected will receive a notification from the Barcelona Housing Consortium to submit documentation proving they meet the eligibility requirements.

If any of the selected households or individuals renounce the allocation or fail to provide proof of compliance, the process will continue with the next person on the list in ascending order.

How can I find my participation number?

The participation number appears on the final list of admitted applicants, next to each participant’s details.
It can also be checked in the “Your participation” section of the Register of Applicants for Officially Protected Housing of Barcelona website.

Nearly 300 public housing units raffled in October

By the end of October, nearly 300 public housing units will have been raffled, combining the Illa Acer development with those on Hospital Street, 116, and Sant Martí Street, 12–16, both located in the Raval neighborhood.
At the same time, the allocation process has begun for a 64-unit affordable and social housing development in Trinitat Nova, in the Nou Barris district.