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.​

Status: Holders of contracts drawn through mediation services for social rentals, housing managed by non-profit organisations or public administrations or entities, except the Housing Agency of Catalonia (AHC): NOT AVAILABLE since 31/10/2019

Beneficiaries of special emergency aid and complementary benefits: NOT AVAILABLE since 01/03/2019
 
Recipients: People included in the Specific Groups who, despite being up-to-date with their rent, have difficulty paying it.
 
Family income limit: 1.5 times the IRSC*
 
Maximum monthly rent:
€750
 
Administration that grants the aid: Housing Agency of Catalonia

Details of the aid

Aid to make a fairer city

This aid for the payment of rent aims to defend the right to decent housing for the most vulnerable groups, a key measure to guarantee more social justness for Barcelona. The aid helps low- or moderate-income households, for whom the cost of housing implies a risk of residential exclusion, to pay their rent.

Specifically, this aid is for people who have signed a rental contract through the Barcelona Rented Housing Pool or non-profit organisations, or are the beneficiaries of aid as a result of an eviction, or of complementary aid for the payment of the rent.

You can find out more about this aid on the website of the Housing Agency of Catalonia.

What do you need to know to request this aid?

In the following sections, you can find out the eligibility requirements and the steps you must follow to apply for this aid. The application can be presented at any Housing Office of Barcelona.

Beneficiaries

The following groups are eligible for this aid:

  • People holding rental contracts concluded as of 1 November 2018, obtained through mediation services for social housing or managed by non-profit organisations or public administrations or bodies, except the Housing Agency of Catalonia.
  • Beneficiaries of economic aid of special urgency, specifically for people who have lost their homes as the result of an eviction or foreclosure, regulated in Resolution TES / 7/2016, of 4 January.
  • People receiving complementary benefits to maintain the payment of rent, regulated in the resolution mentioned in the previous section.

Eligibility requirements

Beneficiaries must fulfil the following eligibility requirements:

  • Prove legal residence in Catalonia for five years, two of which must be immediately prior to the filing date of the application, except for Catalan returnees who meet the requirements established in Law 25/2002, of 25 November.
  • Be at risk of social exclusion and have a household income no higher than 1.5 times the Adequate Income Indicator of Catalonia (IRSC), weighted according to the number of members in the household and the location of the home.
  • Monthly rent cannot be higher than 750 euros.
  • Collection of the aid must be done through a financial institution.
  • The applicant must be up to date with rent or sublet payments at the time of application submission.
  • Rent must be paid by bank transfer, account deposit, direct debit or receipt by the property manager, at least from the month following the submission date of the application. No other type of cash payment is allowed for this aid.

Documentation

Together with the application, the following documentation must be submitted:

  • Responsible declaration of the applicant, stating compliance with the requirements established in this call and that he/she is not subject to any ineligibilities, also established in this call (included in the application).
  • Identification document (DNI / NIE) of the applicant and all the members of the household.
  • Certificate of cohabitation proving that the home is the habitual residence of all the people in the household.
  • Family register book, if applicable.
  • Legal residence in Catalonia must be accredited for five years, two of which must be immediately prior to the submission date of the application.
  • Applicants whose NIE does not include the "permanent" or "long term" specification must provide a residence certificate issued by the foreigners' office or by the national police along with certificates from the different municipal registers.
  • Proof of income of the applicant and of each member of the household that is of working age. Income must be accredited as follows:
    • Personal income tax declaration (IRPF), corresponding to the last closed fiscal year, for the applicant and all members of the household that are of working age.
    • If there are members of the household who are not required to file an income tax declaration, an imputation certificate from the State Tax Administration Agency (AEAT) and a working life report or the corresponding certificate of tax exempt pensions or benefits must be submitted. The working life report must be ordered through the Social Security website or by phone 901 502 050.
    • In exceptional situations, where the applicant or a member of the household had a significant change during the year of the call in relation to his/her income during the closed fiscal year, the income from the current year will be admitted for the household, accompanied by the working life report and a responsible declaration stating the income received. In these cases, it is required that the applicant provide a responsible declaration regarding the cause of the significant change in income in during the general period that must be accredited for the call and the income obtained during the year of the corresponding call. 
       
  • The rental contract in the name of the applicant, which must include proof of compliance with the tenant obligation to pay a deposit to the property owner, in accordance with current regulations.
  • If the applicant is the spouse of the contract holder, or has been transferred the contract, or is included in the case regulated by articles 15 or 16 of Law 29/1994 of 24 November on urban rentals, s/he must accredit the right to use of the home by providing the subrogation documentation, the court ruling or, as the case may be, the separation or divorce agreement.
  • In the case of female victims of gender violence who, as a result of a restraining order or court ruling, have use of the home as their habitual and permanent residence, they may be eligible to receive the aid provided they can prove that they are responsible for paying the rent for the home.
  • In the case of housing managed by non-profit organisations, the housing managers can provide a certificate instead of a rental contract and the rent receipts for payments made until the submission date of the application, which must include the name and last name of the applicant, NIF, and the data regarding the home and the months of rent paid.
  • All rent or sublet receipts, corresponding to the year 2019, that have been paid up to the submission date of the application, which must include the name of the property owner/manager, the tenant, the corresponding month, and the amount.
  • Standardised bank data form, in the name of the applicant, with the bank account data required in order to make the payment, stamped by the financial entity.

 

Obtaining data electronically:

When the applicants do not object to the consultation of the following documents, the managing body may consult them for application processing and evaluation, in which case their submission is not required:

  • Certificate of cohabitation that certifies the residence in the home of all people in the household.
  • Identity document (DNI) of the applicant and of all members of the household.
  • Income tax declaration (IRPF) and imputation certificate of the applicant and of all people of working age in the household.
  • Certificate of payments, in the case of unemployed persons and pensioners.
  • Certificate of the degree of disability, if applicable.
  • Single parent or large family card, if applicable.

 

The Housing Agency of Catalonia may request, directly or through the entities collaborating in the management of these benefits, additional documentation deemed necessary to reach a resolution on the application submitted.

Amount and application period

The maximum amount of the benefit is 200 euros per month (2,400 euros per year), while the minimum amount is 20 euros per month (240 euros per year).
 
This amount includes the rent, late payment fees, and the charges corresponding to improvement works, IBI, and garbage service.
 
Application submission period:

The period for submitting applications is not available. It was opened from January 25 and the following dates:

  • For the group indicated in point 1 (rental contracts obtained through mediation services for social housing or managed by non-profit organisations or public bodies): 31 October 2019.
  • For the other groups indicated in points 2 and 3 (beneficiaries of economic aid of special urgency and supplementary aid): 1 march June 2019.

Incompatibilities

This benefit is incompatible, for the same monthly payments of the current year, with special emergency aid for the payment of rent and with other aid from other public administrations or other organisations, which has the same purpose.

In the case that an applicant has the right to special emergency aid as well as the aid of this call, the sum of both may not exceed 3,000 euros.

This aid is also incompatible for the same monthly payments of the same year with:

  • Reception of basic income for emancipation for young people.
  • Reception of implicit aid, regulated in Decree 75/2014, of 27 May, intended for people at risk of social exclusion and users of rented social housing that is owned or managed by the Government of Catalonia.
  • Other aid for the payment of rent that is object of calls of the Housing Consortium of Barcelona or of any other public entity.

Transitorily, until Law 14/2017 of 20 July on the guaranteed income of citizens is legally developed, in accordance with article 4.4 of this regulation and in order to prevent evictions and complement the guaranteed income of citizens, the aid regulated by this call is only compatible with the guaranteed income of citizens for single member families who have been beneficiaries of a minimum insertion income or of a non-contributory benefit and, at the same time, of aid for the payment of the rent in the previous year, in order to avoid the loss of housing and eviction.

Additional information

Payment of this aid is subject to the budget availability established in the call and to the knowledge of the Housing Agency of Catalonia that the beneficiary is up to date with rent payment.
 
Given that this aid is a public subsidy and involves capital income, the beneficiary is obliged to present their personal income tax declaration (IRPF), which must include the amount received.
 
Payment of the aid will be made through a financial institution.
 
The aid can be paid directly to the beneficiary or, if it is expressly authorised, to the person who provides a guardianship or mediation service, in favour of which this right may be granted.
 
More information can be obtained from the website of the Government of Catalonia.