The main cities in the metropolitan area call for the housing law to be as vigorous as possible

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. The Mayors highlighted the urgency of dealing with the housing emergency and the need for the law to respond to the problem.

The Mayors of the main cities in the Barcelona metropolitan area today called on the Government of Catalonia and the Parliament of Catalonia to take a firm stance on housing with the new law substituting Law 24/2015 on the housing emergency, partially suspended by the Spanish Constitutional Court. The new law is already being debated in parliament.

The Mayors of Barcelona, Badalona, L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, Santa Coloma de Gramenet, Terrassa and Sabadell have asked to be taken in to account when the new law is created, calling for the process to be as ambitious as possible and for their proposed modifications to be considered. According to Ada Colau, a law is needed which is up to what the circumstances require. “The law which is currently being finalised in parliament is insufficient”, affirmed the Mayor.

The group of Mayors expressed the necessity to adapt the new law to changing needs, such as the fact that 95% of evictions are due to unpaid rent. They also called for the new law to oblige owners of large pools of property to guarantee rehousing in all eviction cases involving vulnerable families. Colau also called for the new law to offer the possibility of regulating housing rental prices.

“The housing emergency is far from being resolved. It’s setting in, getting worse and changing the profile of those affected”, pointed out the Mayor. “We demand this law is as vigorous as possible and doesn’t just settle for the minimum”, concluded Colau.

The Mayor also explained that even though measures to guarantee housing for all citizens have been strengthened, last week the city had to deal with as many as 102 evictions. Although only 6 were carried out, and families were guaranteed alternative housing, the situation is still at its limit.

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