Initial approval to declare Barcelona as an area with a tense housing market
The declaration means rental prices in the Catalan capital will be regulated from September, affecting new rental contracts signed in the next five years.![](https://media-edg.barcelona.cat/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/05165514/habitatge-3-300x300.jpg)
The Full Council has given its initial approval to declare the city as an area with a tense housing market. The declaration will allow for the application of regulated rental prices set out in Act 11/2020, on urgent measures to contain prices in home rental contracts.
As from September, the reference price when it comes to signing a new rental contract will be lower than the price of the previous contract and 95% of the pricing index established by the Government of Catalonia.
The declaration of the city as an area with a tense housing market will apply for five years, the longest period allowed by law. It will include homes with useful floor space of over 150 square metres.
Over 30% of the city’s population live in rented homes. Prices rose by 31% between 2015 and 2020.