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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

Details of the aid

Status: AVAILABLE 

Recipients: Individuals residing in Barcelona who are holders of a rental contract for a dwelling located in Barcelona that constitutes their habitual and permanent residence provided they have a low or moderate income that endangers their social integration  

Maximum monthly rent: Up to 1.020,00€.

Family income limit: 2 times the IRSC in case of persons living alone; 2.5 times the IRSC in case of cohabitation units and 3 times the IRSC in case of disabled or highly dependent persons

Administration granting the subsidy: Barcelona Housing Consortium

Assistance for the payment of rent

The Housing Consortium of Barcelona grants these benefits to help those people who, being holders of a rental contract for a dwelling located in Barcelona and constituting their usual and permanent residence, have a low or moderate income that endangers their social integration and causes them difficulty in paying the rent.

The aid in question offers a maximum amount of €300 per month and a minimum of €20 per month and is granted for a maximum period of 12 months. It can be requested preferably by electronic means or in person, by appointment, at any of the offices that make up the Network of Housing Offices of Barcelona.

Do you want to know how to apply?

In these drop-downs, you can find the requirements and the steps to follow to apply for this assistance. Preferably, you can apply electronically or in person, by appointment, at any of the offices that make up the Network of Housing Offices of Barcelona.

Recipients

Individuals residing in Barcelona who hold a rental contract for a home located in Barcelona that constitutes their habitual and permanent residence, provided that they have a low or moderate income that endangers their social integration. In the case of rental contracts with effect from 1 June 2013, it is necessary to prove compliance with the tenant's obligation to pay the landlord's deposit, in accordance with Law 29/1994, of 24 November, on urban leases and Law 13/1996, of 29 July, on the Deposit Register for Urban Property Rental Contracts, its Regulations and other corresponding provisions.

Likewise, the recipients who are in any of the groups regulated below:

  • The beneficiaries of the benefits for the payment of rent in the city of Barcelona corresponding to the call for the year 2024 (DOGC number 9205 of July 16, 2024 and BOPB of July 17, 2024).

Beneficiaries cannot be those who, in accordance with article 5.2 of the Revised Text of the Regulatory Bases and the tenth Transitional Provision of Law 5/2012 of 20 March, on fiscal, financial, administrative measures and the creation of the tax on stays in tourist establishments, have received the benefit for the payment of rent in the city of Barcelona for 4 consecutive years, with the exception of beneficiaries of the benefits who were over 65 years old on 31 December 2012, who are maintained permanently as long as the conditions under which they had access to the benefit are maintained.

  • Beneficiaries of social emergency financial benefits derived from mediation in the city of Barcelona for the year 2024 (DOGC number 9128 of March 22, 2024 and BOPB of March 19, 2024).

Requirements

Beneficiaries must meet the following requirements, in addition to those established in the “Recipients” section:

  • Prove legal residence in Catalonia for five years, two of which must be immediately prior to the date of submission of the application, except for returned Catalans who meet the requirements established in article 6 of Law 25/2002, of 25 November, on measures to support the return of Catalans. Legal residence is considered accredited when the person holds a residence permit in accordance with the provisions of current regulations.
  • The home listed in the rental contract must be located in the city of Barcelona and must be intended for the applicant's usual and permanent residence, understood as that which constitutes their domicile according to the corresponding municipal register.
  • Be registered in the home for which the benefit is requested.
  • Be at risk of residential social exclusion in accordance with article 72 of Law 18/2007, of 28 December, on the right to housing, and prove a weighted income of the cohabitation unit not exceeding 2 times the IRSC, if it is people who live alone, 2.5 times the IRSC if it is cohabitation units or 3 times the IRSC in the case of people with disabilities or with great dependency, weighted according to the location of the home and the number of members that make up the cohabitation unit.
  • That the percentage of the income of the cohabitation unit destined to the payment of rental income is equal to or greater than 30%.
  • Guarantee being in a position to continue paying the rental income of the home for which the benefit is requested corresponding to their habitual and permanent residence. This requirement is considered to be met when, at a minimum, an amount equal to the amount of the rent is proven with the amount of the grant granted and the monthly income of the living unit.
  • That the monthly rent of the home for which the benefit is requested does not exceed the maximum limit of 1,020.00 euros.
  • Have the payment of the benefit directly deposited in a financial institution.
  • Pay the rent of the home for which the benefit is requested by bank transfer or direct debit from a bank account held by the applicant, deposit into the account or receipt issued by the property administrator.

The following persons cannot be beneficiaries of these benefits:

  • Tenants of homes owned or managed by the Housing Agency of Catalonia or by the Municipal Institute of Housing and Rehabilitation of Barcelona, ​​as well as homes subsidized by public programs.
  • Cohabitation units in which the applicant or any other member of the cohabitation unit owns or has a home in usufruct, except when they do not have the use and enjoyment of it due to separation or divorce or for any reason beyond their control, or when the home is inaccessible due to the disability of the owner or any member of the cohabitation unit. It is not considered that a person is the owner or usufructuary of a home if the right only falls on a proportional part of the home and has been obtained by transmission mortis causa.
  • Cohabitation units in which the applicant or any other member of the cohabitation unit is related by marriage or another similar stable relationship, by consanguinity, adoption or affinity up to the second degree, to the lessors. This same criterion will also apply to the relationship between the lessor and the lessee, when the former is a legal person, with respect to any of its partners or shareholders.
  • Cohabitation units in which the applicant or any other member of the cohabitation unit has a taxable base of savings from the personal income tax return of more than 500 euros. This prohibition is excepted in the event that this amount is the result of a payment as a result of a foreclosure relating to a home that has constituted the applicant's usual and permanent residence.
  • Beneficiaries who, in accordance with article 5.2 of the Revised Text of the Regulatory Bases and the tenth Transitional Provision of Law 5/2012, of 20 March, on fiscal, financial, administrative measures and the creation of the tax on stays in tourist establishments, have received the benefit for the payment of rent in the city of Barcelona for 4 consecutive years. The exception is beneficiaries of the benefits who were over 65 years old on 31 December 2012, who are maintained permanently as long as the conditions under which they had access to the benefit are maintained.

Documentation

The following documentation must be submitted with the application:

1. General documentation:

a) Current DNI/NIF/NIE or equivalent document of the applicant.

b) Proof of legal residence in Catalonia of the applicant for five years, two of which must be immediately prior to the date of the application, by presenting the following documentation:

  1. Applicants with Spanish nationality, from a member country of the European Union or from another country in the European Economic Area: certificates or flyers from the different municipal registers. Exceptions are made for those applicants who prove the requirement of legal residence in Barcelona in the terms established in section b).
  2. Other applicants: when the legend “Permanent or long-term” does not appear on their NIE, the certificate of residence issued by the Foreigners' Office or by the National Police Stations, together with certificates or flyers from the different municipal registers.

c) Proof of income for each person who forms the working-age cohabitation unit by submitting:

  1. The original and photocopy or certified photocopy of the personal income tax return for the last closed fiscal year, or if not required to do so, a certificate of imputations for the last closed fiscal year.
  2. Exceptionally, in the event of substantial changes that suggest an increase or decrease in income, documentation proving the income for the three months prior to the date of submission of the application for the person(s) who have undergone the change must be submitted, together with the work life report issued by the General Treasury of Social Security.

d) Rent receipt for the previous month and the month in which the application is submitted.

e) Authorization of the applicant and all the people in the cohabitation unit of working age so that the bodies that manage the applications can request and obtain data related to the processing and monitoring of the application from other public bodies.

f) In the event that the amount of the aid to be granted is greater than €300 per month, the socioeconomic report issued by the municipal social services on the situation of the cohabitation unit must be presented.

g) Cohabitation certificate or flyer from Barcelona City Council that accredits the address of the applicant and the people who make up the cohabitation unit.

h) The Barcelona Housing Consortium may request any other complementary documentation to expand its knowledge of the application submitted.

i) In the event that the applicant or another member of the cohabitation unit is listed as a beneficiary of a subsidy or benefit that corresponds to housing assistance, the resolution of the granting of the assistance must be provided with the amount granted.

j) In cases of payment of rent by deposit into an account or bank transfer, accreditation may be requested according to the current account into which the rental income is deposited, held by the person who owns the home or manages the property.

2. In the event of a change in the documentation accredited in the previous year's calls for applications relating to benefits for the payment of rent or emergency social benefits derived from mediation in the city of Barcelona:

a) Current DNI/NIF/NIE or equivalent document of the members of the cohabitation unit who have had a change.

b) Original and photocopy or certified photocopy of the family book.

c) Original and photocopy or certified photocopy of the rental contract in the name of the applicant. In the case of rental contracts with effects from June 1, 2013, it is necessary to accredit the tenant's compliance with the obligation to pay the deposit to the landlord.

In the event that the person applying for the benefit who lives in the home is the spouse of the contractual owner or is included in the cases regulated by articles 15 and 16 of Law 29/1994, of 24 November, on urban leases, they must provide documentation proving the attribution of the right of use over the home, either by subrogation, by agreement or by a judgment of separation or divorce, or by other legally valid titles.

d) Standardized form of bank details to be able to make the payment of the benefit, in the name of the applicant, signed by the latter and with the diligence of conformity of the banking entity or equivalent document in the name of the applicant that proves their ownership of the bank account where to receive the benefit.

e) Accreditation from the Department of Social Rights of the Generalitat de Catalunya, in the case of people with a disability.

f) Single-parent family card.

3. Applicants who object to the management body being able to make the inquiries detailed in point 6 must also provide the documentation detailed in points 6.1.a), 6.1.c.1), 6.1.c.2), 6.1.g) and 6.2.a), 6.2.e), 6.2.f).

Amount and application period

Amount: The monthly amount of the benefit is a maximum of 300 euros and a minimum of 20 euros, when the result of the calculations that determine the amount is less than this amount.

In the event that the amount of the benefit calculated based on the personal income tax return for the closed fiscal year exceeds the maximum amount established in the call, the income of the last three monthly payments prior to the submission of the application of all members of the cohabitation unit may be taken into account.

Exceptionally, in cases of duly accredited risk of residential exclusion and provided that there is a favorable report issued by the municipal social services, the monthly amount of the benefit may be increased to a maximum of 500 euros in the following cases:

  • Beneficiaries of the benefit who, with the sum of the amount of the weighted monthly income of the living unit plus the maximum amount of 300 euros of the benefit, cannot cover the amount of the monthly rent. In these cases, the monthly amount of the benefit is the result of subtracting the amount of the monthly rent from the weighted income of the living unit, without applying the maximum limit of 300 euros in point 7.4.
  • Single beneficiaries of the benefit who in the year of the call are 65 years old or older, who prove a disability of 65% or more and with a weighted income less than or equal to 0.95 times the IRSC. In these cases, the monthly amount of the benefit is the result of subtracting 30% of the weighted income from the monthly rent amount, without applying the maximum limit of 300 euros in point 7.4.

Term: This benefit is granted for a maximum period of 12 months. With the resolution granting the applications, the right to receive these benefits is recognized from the month following the date of completion of the effects of the resolution of the file of the previous year's call, provided that at that time the applicant is the holder of the rental contract.

The right to receive this benefit may only be recognized provided that the application meets all the established requirements and provided that there is budgetary availability to grant it.

This call is currently active. The deadline for submitting applications will be from 02/06/2025 to 31/07/2025, both inclusive.

The deadline for accepting applications for the benefits may be extended or the acceptance of applications may be closed at an earlier date depending on budgetary availability. The extension or closure of the acceptance of applications for the benefit will be made by means of a resolution of the Manager of the Barcelona Housing Consortium which will be published in the DOGC and the BOPB and will be reported to the Permanent Commission of the Barcelona Housing Consortium.

Incompatibilities

These benefits are incompatible, for the same monthly payments of the current year, with other grants, benefits or subsidies from public administrations or other entities that have the same purpose. In the event of duplication of benefits for the same monthly payments, a partial or total revocation will be carried out in accordance with the duplication incurred.

Other informations

The payment of these benefits is subject to the availability of budget allocations, and to the fact that the Barcelona Housing Consortium is aware that the beneficiary is up to date with the payment of rent receipts by submitting the receipts on a monthly basis.

The justification for payment of the aforementioned receipts must be made within the first fortnight of the month of rent payment and, at the latest, within the deadlines indicated in the following section.

The justification for the payment of rental receipts must be made within the following deadlines:

  • Receipts for the period between the first recognized month and the last month of 2025 must be justified, at the latest, on December 31, 2025.
  • Receipts for the period between January 2026 and the last recognized month of 2026 must be justified, at the latest, on December 31, 2026.

Receipts not justified within these periods will not be paid to the beneficiaries, which will automatically lead to the resolution of partial revocation due to lack of justification in accordance with point 16 of this call.

In accordance with article 72.7 of Law 18/2007, of 28 December, on the right to housing, and with letter h) of Regulatory Base 7, payment of the benefit will be made by bank transfer to the financial institution where the person requesting the benefit has deposited their payment.

The benefits will be paid directly to the person requesting the benefit who is established as the beneficiary in the resolution granting the benefit.