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.​

The purchase of a new property in the Gòtic neighbourhood will bring eleven new dwellings to the area’s available public housing

06/05/2022 - 12:30

Social rental housing. The dwellings are expected to be comprehensively renovated and a lift installed in the building. Work will be carried out on the roof, facades, inner courtyards and premises.

The City Council has agreed to purchase a property in Carrer de n’Arai, 3, in the Gòtic neighbourhood, for the sum of 3.97 million euros, in a particularly dense area with little social rental housing on offer. The property was owned by the Clínic per a la Recerca Biomèdica Foundation and the University of Barcelona. Seven of its 11 dwellings are already leased and the remaining 4 will go into the Social Rental Housing Pool.

In addition, 1.78 million euros have been allocated for renovating the property, with special attention to its main and back facades and inner courtyards. The roof will also be waterproofed and the premises cleaned and painted. A lift is expected to be installed in property and its rooms comprehensively renovated, with the 11 current ones possibly converted into 18.

The property has three 3 premises and 3 warehouses and a gross floor area of 2,114 square metres.

More public housing

Thanks to the operation and planned renovation work, the seven families already living in the neighbourhood who had signed a lease at the end of the 1980s or start of the 1990s are guaranteed the right to continue residing in the neighbourhood.

Ciutat Vella’s public housing stock has been extended through this purchase of the property, which is joining other operations recently carried out by the City Council in the distract, such as the agreement with the owners of a building in Carrer de Sant Climent, in the Raval neighbourhood, under which the City Council will renovate the building in exchange for maintaining a social rental lease with its tenants.

A year ago an agreement was reached on the assigned use of a building in Barceloneta, awaiting renovation, so it could provide 11 social housing flats for a period of 15 years.