Highlights: From this Friday March 15, 2024, Catalonia applies rent limits in 140 cities in the region including Barcelona and its suburbs. Measure aims to “limit the surge in rents” and “avoid market speculation” Rents in Catalonia have increased two to three times more than salaries in the past 20 years. A previous rent regulation law had been put in place in Catalonia, it was repealed by the Spanish Constitutional Court in 2022 which ruled that the region was not competent to legislate on the subject.

From this Friday March 15, 2024, Catalonia applies rent limits in 140 cities in the region including Barcelona and its suburbs. The measure aims to “limit the surge in rents” and “avoid…

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Spain: in Catalonia, rents are once again regulated

From this Friday March 15, 2024, Catalonia applies rent limits in 140 cities in the region including Barcelona and its suburbs.

The measure aims to “

limit the surge in rents

” and “

avoid market speculation

”.

Listen - 01:16

An aerial view of Barcelona, May 24, 2021. © Wikimedia Commons CC BY 2.0 Dronepicr

By: RFI Follow

With our correspondent in Barcelona,

Elise Gazengel

In a square in the popular Sants district of Barcelona this week, associations defending the right to housing explain the new law limiting rents.

Jordi Font, nurse, came to find out when his owner wants to force him to sign a new contract 400 euros more expensive: “

This law will help me!
Because my owner wants to pay me a lot more, she thinks she can avoid the law and threatens me.
I don't know what will happen, if out of rage she'll kick us out and rent to someone else, but at least I know she won't be able to rent it again for more money.

Rents which have increased up to three times faster than wages in 20 years

From now on in Barcelona, the city with the most expensive rents in

Spain

, and in 140 Catalan cities, no rent can be increased and even some will have to adjust to the fixed ceiling if the owner owns at least five properties.

Oscar Blanco, in his thirties, is not convinced: “

It is not enough to stop the increases or maintain the rents!
What we need here is to lower them because it makes no sense that I dedicate almost all my salary to paying the rent!

On average, over the past 20 years, rents in

Catalonia

have increased two to three times more than salaries.

Faced with this, a previous rent regulation law had been put in place in Catalonia, it was repealed by the Spanish Constitutional Court in 2022 which ruled that the region was not competent to legislate on the subject.

This new law on rent control at a national level was adopted in May 2023.

Also listen Accents of Europe - Europeans are finding it more and more difficult to find housing

Spain: in Catalonia, rents are once again regulated

Spain: in Catalonia, rents are once again regulated

Rents which have increased up to three times faster than wages in 20 years

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