The Standing Committee of the Spanish Congress of Deputies is due to vote on two housing decrees on 12 November. Among other things, tenants’ access to an existing provision allowing certain contracts to be extended is at stake. According to reports available that morning, the vote had not yet taken place.
According to the newspaper 20minutos, the Spanish government estimates that the extraordinary rental extension could benefit almost five million people. It puts the potential savings for tenants at €4,341. However, the report does not adequately explain the assumptions used to arrive at that figure. It should therefore not be understood as guaranteed savings for every household.
The decree in question provides, on application, for existing contracts for a primary residence to be extended by one year at a time, for a maximum of two years. Among other requirements, the rent must be up to date and have been paid monthly over the previous eight months. The provision does not apply across the board to all contracts: the law specifies certain situations in which previous statutory or tacit extension periods come to an end. For mandatory extensions, this must happen before 31 December 2028.
The more comprehensive of the two decrees has been in force since 8 October. It also provides protection against evictions for vulnerable people without alternative accommodation. Different conditions apply depending on the claimant; exceptions are provided for. In addition, until the end of 2030 the decree restricts certain home purchases by large property owners and specialist companies to below 70 per cent of the assessed market value. It is not a general ban on purchases by all funds.
The second decree concerns longer automatic contract extensions and compensation for tenants in certain cases. It was due to come into force on 15 November. According to the news agency Europa Press, this proposal had no apparent majority before the vote, while support was expected for the more comprehensive decree. This was an assessment made before the decision, not a vote result.
The Standing Committee is responsible because Parliament was dissolved ahead of the early election on 29 November. The Congress of Deputies rejected earlier versions of the housing decrees on 2 October. On 6 October, the government approved new, amended texts. The vote on them is scheduled for the day after general strike and before the start of the election campaign on 13 November.
Editor: Phillipe Schmidt-Araguin (Article created with AI assistance).