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.​

Details of the aid

Status: AVAILABLE

Recipients: Individuals who were already beneficiaries as of the fiscal year 2023, by Order MAH/402/2009, of August 5, who on 12/31/2012 were 65 years of age or older, with a favorable resolution granted in 2010.   

Family income limit: 2.35 times the IRSC

Administration granting the subsidy: Catalonia Housing Agency

Aid for the payment of rent

The Housing Agency of Catalonia grants these subsidies to people who were already beneficiaries in 2023, in accordance with Order MAH/402/2009, of August 5, who on 31/12/2012 were 65 years of age or older, with a favorable resolution granted in 2010. The aid in question consists of a maximum amount of €240 per month and a minimum of €20 per month.

This aid is intended for all persons residing in the city of Barcelona, at risk of social exclusion according to Article 2.5 of the bases, and who are holders of a rental contract for the dwelling where they reside on a regular and permanent basis and who can prove that the income of the cohabitation unit does not exceed those set out in the corresponding call for benefits.

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 aid. Preferably, you can apply through the website of the Generalitat de Catalunya or, if necessary, in person at the local housing offices or at the exchanges that are part of the Mediation Network for Social Renting or at the headquarters of the entity that owns or manages the housing, in the case of owners of housing managed by public administrations or companies, as well as at the Housing Agency of Catalonia.

Recipients

Persons who were already beneficiaries in the fiscal year 2023, by Order MAH/402/2009, of August 5, who on 12/31/2012 were 65 years of age or older, with a favorable resolution granted in 2010.

Requirements

The beneficiaries must meet the following requirements:   

  • Firstly, to have been a beneficiary of a permanent benefit in 2023, by the call published with Resolution MAH/1100/2010, of April 8, regulated by Order 402/2009, of August 5.
  • To be holders of the rental contract of the dwelling where they reside on a regular and permanent basis.
  • To prove that the income of the cohabitation unit does not exceed those established in the corresponding call for benefits.
  • To have the payment of the rent of the dwelling for which the benefit is requested domiciled in a credit institution.
  • To have the payment of the benefit domiciled in a credit institution.

Documentation

Persons who were recipients of this benefit during the year 2023 will be obliged to communicate to the Agency or to the collaborating entities that participate in the management of these benefits any variation in their economic situation or census registration that may result in the modification of the conditions that determined the concession.
 
The following conditions must be accredited:

  • Income: in order to maintain the right to the permanent benefit, it is a condition to prove that one is able to pay the rent with one's own income, as well as that the cohabitation unit of the beneficiary has an income no higher than 2.35 times the updated Catalonia Sufficiency Income Indicator (IRSC). The CSRI tables are included in the Annex to this Resolution. 
  • It is considered that a cohabitation unit is in conditions to be able to pay the rent with own income, when it accredits, at least, an annual income equal to the necessary ones to pay the rent. 
  • In order to prove the income of the cohabitation unit, the income of the beneficiary and of each of the members of the cohabitation unit, who are of working age, must be justified by means of the personal income tax return (IRPF), corresponding to the year 2022.

The income taken into account to obtain the benefit is that corresponding to the general taxable income and savings, regulated in articles 48 and 49 of the Personal Income Tax Law 35/2006, of November 28, 2006, corresponding to the tax returns filed by each of the members of the cohabitation unit, relating to the last tax period, with expired filing deadline. 

In the IRPF declaration for the year 2022, which is the one to be taken into account, these concepts are those that appear in boxes 435 and 460 respectively. 

  • If some members of the cohabitation unit are not obliged to present the IRPF declaration, the income will be accredited with the following documentation:

a) Certificate of allocations issued by the AEAT.
b) Report of working life (for persons under 65 years of age).
c) Certificate of public pensions exempt from taxation.
d) Responsible declaration. If the income of all the members of the cohabitation unit is accredited using a responsible declaration, this declaration must be accompanied by a report on the socioeconomic situation, issued by the municipal social services or by the mediating technical personnel of the collaborating entities for the management of these benefits, without prejudice to the corresponding administrative verification.

  • Persons who have separated or divorced since the date on which the benefit was granted must present the corresponding judgment and/or regulatory agreement. 
  • In the case of a supervening disability, a certificate of the degree of disability recognized, issued by the competent body in the matter, must be presented. 
  • Exceptionally, in the event that the beneficiary or any member of the cohabitation unit has had a significant change during the year 2024 in relation to their family and/or cohabitation situation, the income for the year 2024 will be admitted only in cases of divorce, separation and widowhood, duly justified with the divorce decree, the regulatory separation agreement or the death certificate, as the case may be.
  • Certificate or updated cohabitation form that accredits the domicile of the beneficiary and of the persons that integrate the cohabitation unit.
  • Rent Receipts: All corresponding rent receipts in 2024, paid up to the date of submission of this documentation. The payment of the rent of the housing has to be accredited by means of: bank transfer, direct debit receipt, deposit in account or receipt of the administrator. In all cases it must be stated which monthly payment corresponds to the payment made and, in addition, in the event that the payment system is by direct debit receipt, the following data must be stated: the identification of the payer, the identification of the beneficiary of the payment and the corresponding monthly payment. The beneficiaries can send the rent receipts paid to date to the corporate mailbox rebutslloguer@bcn.cat, indicating name, surname and ID card number and file number. In order to determine the amount of the benefit, the amount of the rent receipt will be taken into account, including the rent and arrears, the amounts corresponding to the repercussion of the improvement works, the real estate tax (IBI) and the fee for the garbage collection service.

Amount and application period

  • Amount: The monthly amount of the subsidy is a maximum of €240/month (€2,880/year) and a minimum of €20/month (€240/year).

The monthly amount of the benefit is determined by the difference between the amount of rent paid by the tenant and the so-called fair rent, defined in Article 2.4 with the maximum and minimum amounts to be determined in the annual call.

To calculate the computable income, the amount of the benefit received in the corresponding year will not be taken into account.

Neither will be taken into account the aids received by the applicant or by any member of his cohabitation unit in application of the Law 39/2006, of December 14, of promotion of the personal autonomy and attention to the people in situation of dependency.

Even so, it is considered that all the concepts that appear in the receipt with the exception of the arrears and of the expenses of services of individual use that appear consigned are part of the amount of the rent. For this calculation, the amount of the receipt corresponding to the month prior to the month in which the application is submitted will be taken into account.

  • Deadline: The subsidy is granted for the year of the call for applications. The call for applications is currently open.

Incompatibilities

These benefits are incompatible, in terms of monthly payments, with the special emergency economic benefits for the payment of rent established in Article 72.2.b of Law 18/2007, of December 28, 2007, on the right to housing, and also with the basic emancipation income for young people, regulated by Royal Decree 1472/2007, of November 2, 2007.

Other informations

The processing and management of this procedure is the responsibility of the collaborating entities referred to in point 6 of this Resolution. 

The payment of the monthly payments will be made when the beneficiaries have presented the receipts of the paid rent receipts, once the corresponding resolution has been notified, and the payment will be adjusted to the amount of the receipts presented, in accordance with the following deadlines:

1st period of justification: The payment of the monthly payments corresponding to the months of January to October 2024 will be charged to the budget corresponding to the fiscal year 2024, upon justification by presenting the corresponding rent receipts, up to 29.11.2024, at the latest.

2nd period of justification: The payment corresponding to the remaining monthly payments of 2024 not justified as of 29.11.2023, shall be charged to the budget for the 2025 fiscal year, upon presentation of the corresponding rent receipts, up to 28.03.2025, at the latest.

The amounts corresponding to the receipts not justified by 28.03.2025 will not be paid to the interested parties.