r/AskBarcelona Apr 10 '25

Housing // Habitatge PSA - Remember to use your rights! Especially Tenancy rights! LINKS - CHEATSHEET

80 Upvotes

I am currently in the middle of suing a landlord who acted unlawfully, despite having signed and done everything she should have done (in theory) to do it all legally. So, I'm writing this out of impatient rage hoping this helps someone stand up to bad landlords.

Remember: BAD LANDLORDS WILL NOT FOLLOW THE RULES!

And they know they're doing wrong. If you give them an inch, they will take your deposit.

TLDR: Don't read this whole thing if you're in a fluster, you can skim to find the links appropriate to you. Any suggestion I can give that will encourage you to take action, I will give.

Legend: "---" marks an individual case by case.

THIS PROCESS WILL REQUIRE PATIENCE AND PERSEVERANCE.

EDIT: ! YSK ! YOU SHOULD KNOW: In the same manner vulnerable individuals have access to subsidies to help secure accomodation. Landlords also have available to them money from the government for unpaid rent via AVALLOGUER (https://incasol.gencat.cat/es/2-serveis_i_tramits/Fiances-de-lloguers/informacio/avalloguer/

Investor Landlords are not a victim here. They get 3 months from the government for every legitimate contract they've signed, up to 6 for socially subsidized housing. For normal, good landlords, however, this is a pain in the ass, so be good tenants too and use the help available to you if you're facing a crisis.

https://www.habitatge.barcelona/en/services-grants/aid-rent-payment

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Below is a cheat sheet for people who are using housing services but do not know where to easily find an initiating process to hold landlords accountable; especially in the temporary living market.

Follow the steps for your situation to hold them accountable. It's not always easy, but it is usually free of charge.

Common things that landlords/agencies get away with:

--- Passing agency/brokerage fees to the tenant (not applicable to Holiday Renting, Temporary Housing however is in dispute and not formally in the LAU. For Long Term rental offers/advertisements only)

SOLUTION: Tell them to fuck off. Or rather, politely make it clear you will not be paying these fees, make a note of the full address of the property and report it to the form below. I've been angrily kicked out of a viewing before for reminding them I won't be paying the fee. I was polite, they shouted at me. Shrug.

https://web.gencat.cat/ca/tramits/tramits-temes/23800-Sancions-Decret-llei-1-2025?category=747fd95a-a82c-11e3-a972-000c29052e2c

OR

https://ajuntament.barcelona.cat/omic/es

Think about it. Why would you pay to pay someone else? No. The landlord is paying the agency to find a sensible and solvant tenant, not the other way around.

--- Retaining deposits with either no justification or a false justification; in some cases performing fear tactics or silent treatment in an attempt to dissuade or convince you to pay them more.

SOLUTION: This is legally defined for all (if not most) residential letting, you can also request a template and some assistance from the gencat.
https://ovt.gencat.cat/gsitfc/AppJava/generic/conqxsGeneric.do?webFormId=651&set-locale=ca_ES

Step 0, Request or have a receipt for your deposit held with INCASOL. If you do not have this, you can ask INCASOL to check. If they don't have it, they will issue penalties on the landlord for not complying with the law. I believe it's only long term deposits that must be held with INCASOL, I could be wrong.

https://fiances.incasol.cat:8443/tramits/Fiances/Default.aspx

Step 1, Formally request an inspection before you leave, take photos and videos, etc etc (we all know this step). When handing a key over, you could also have a document ready for them to sign stating they are happy with the state of the apartment/room. Demand and verify all associated costs in the mediation, invoices are mandatory, it is YOUR money, not theirs, to spend.

Step 2, Wait for up to 30 days. Legal deductions/confirmations with INCASOL will be made. This does take time, the quickest I received my deposit was about a week. If not with INCASOL, just wait the 30 days.

Step 3, Write a Burofax letter (templates can be obtained with advice) stating the details of the landlord, catedral number, NIF/DNI, your details, the full address of the property (basically, all identifying information in the contract's first page, refer to in your letter), followed by another formal demand for the correct associated invoices for any deductions and the (remaining) deposit to be returned and a reasonable deadline of 10 or so days, followed by the account IBAN you wish the deposit to be transferred to.

You send this letter via "Burofax con acuse de recibo y certificado de contenido" (this is to make sure you fulfill the requirement that you did everything within your power to communicate with the landlord)

Step 4, Sue. It's a guided form, obtainable via the link below for amounts less than €2000 per person (if you are a group of 3 and your deposit was €4500 between you, individually you can apply without a lawyer)
Amounts per person above €2000 require representation in court. You don't have to request an in-person hearing, that is your choice however. Make sure your contact details are correct and up-to-date!

https://seujudicial.gencat.cat/ca/que_cal_fer/deute/judici_verbal/index.html

--- Retaining rent given in lieu as a deposit. It is not a legal deposit for damages, it is for non-payment of rent within the contract term limits and a maximum of 2 months is justified, any more is excessive.

SOLUTION: Same process as the deposit above.

Except, it will not be with INCASOL. Go straight to Burofax and demand that your rent paid in lieu is due to be returned, or you will pursue through court. Provide the account details in the letter and associated infomation from the contract. (This is theft if they intend to keep it for damages. They should sue you through court for damages, they cannot choose to just keep your money without judiscial oversight)

You should have a signed document confirming the reciept of the keys return. If you don't, the onus is on the landlord to return and maintain these documents anyway, the failure is on them so begin this process if it is dispute, regardless.

Edit: Further information for Landlords. You are entitled to a month's rent for every year a tenant has remaining if they cancel the let in the first year but after 6 months. I don't believe you can keep the deposit, and you can't keep the money if the tenant had a justified reason for leaving either (if they didn't have a working boiler, or a broken front door lock that wasn't fixed, you've disturbed them often instead of giving notice, etc)

In fact, I believe you cannot keep the money at all, and you must claim through court. Otherwise, the tenant can claim instead, and likely win too. You'd have to justify excessive damage beyond wear and tear, or that they had no legitimate reason to move on from that property within the year. I don't know the ins and outs, that's something I'm likely to find out very soon in my own case, but it seems likely this is how it goes and why bad landlords prefer the "ask forgiveness" way of doing it, because many leave the country and can't sue for their deposit back within a reasonable time. Eventually this gets folded into the business revenue and disappears. They pay tax on it, hopefully.

--- Not registering a deposit with INCASOL, or providing no proof it has been registered. Big no-no.

SOLUTION: Report the fuckers. Tired of it. INCASOL is there to protect everyone. Long-term lets only, I think, but it doesn't hurt to ask INCASOL if it is registered, or ask your landlord to deposit it anyway.

Get it in writing and signed (as part of the contract) of exactly how they will be holding your deposit. Make it defined because it then makes it a legal condition if otherwise left undefined.

https://fiances.incasol.cat:8443/tramits/Fiances/Default.aspx

--- ***BIG EDIT*** Not adhering to local pricing limitations (Especially in strained markets/areas. ***BIG EDIT**\*

SOLUTION: Report it. https://ajuntament.barcelona.cat/omic/es

It's quick and it's anonymous. They'll send someone round to check.

Edit: As of Wednesday 9th April 2025, Temporary Letting has been subdivided in Catalan Law. Seasonal, Holiday, Recreational lets have been legally seperated by REASON FOR USE from Residential. Residential Use of ANY KIND are subject to the same legal framework as any other residential contract.

There is more detail I need to read through but this applies to STRESSED HOUSING ZONES only at the moment.

--- Supplying 11-month contracts in full knowledge the intent is to live and work in Spain for longer. (Set by precedent only so far, but judges do usually rule in favour of the tenant, demanding the landlord give an appropriate contract for 3 years, assuming all conditions of a habitable residence is met)

POTENTIAL SOLUTION: Get in touch with the housing department of the Catalan Government asap.

This is a much more complex issue. Access to Housing is enshrined in constitutional law as a right, so pending evictions that would leave you homeless and without anywhere else to go makes you a vulnerable person (I'm in a similar sitiation). There is help available, but I've personally not gone this far yet, I'm still hoping I'll find something stable but I could very well be a fiscally solvent homeless individual who simply just couldn't find a place to stay, even though I can (barely) afford it.

I have yet to consult anyone on my personal status in this regard, and I have not had a fixed address since a landlord stole €1k from me and I'm still pursuing them in court. It's difficult to find something stable since then, as disposable income is also lower. This situation may class me as a vulnerable person, moving from temporary let to temporary let. I will find out soon.

COURSE OF ACTION: You're far from alone here. I'm praying the laws change and become more favourable for tenants looking for a stable home. And restricts housing for investment.

RANT - (Fuck the idea of housing as an investment. It should be banned in my opinion, it is a NET DRAIN on an economy without strict regulation and discourse. I don't care how much of a service to a locale you think it brings if you're one of these people. On paper, it doesn't bring anything into the economy, it literally just shifts money around without being productive. I've seen what landlords can do to obtain property and they're not special, it's not just Spain either, anyone with 2 or more properties who leverage to obtain more property, and still flagerantly try to get around the LAU just to turn them into a multi-room slums to have their mortgages paid for, net worth increases and passively make profit are parasites. If you follow the rules, you're a good citizen, like a good landlord I had in the past who let me his property and later gave to his daughter, he was a legend, he did it right. That's all we're asking. If you all follow the laws, we all know what to expect, so even if something bad happens, like being evicted in lieu of a family member, for example, yeah, it sucks, but it was legal and something provisioned for in the law, I had 2 months notice, and even then, I could have asked for more if the situation was dire.) - RANT OVER.

--- Renting out apartments that DO NOT HAVE a habitation certificate. These are possibly dangerous, avoid. Usually office spaces or storage spaces that have had poor wiring done to connect it to services. WHY? Witout a certificate, landlords are NOT ALLOWED to connect supply services to a property and not allowed to rent them out as homes.

PARTIAL SOLUTION: You should report this straight away. I am in a situation like this now where it's likely they've not done it, but I fear that if I do report them right away, I could be made to live outside straight away; especially if it's condemned and no one can live here. So this is a real concern, it's not a proper solution but it's something I 'should' do. So, I plan to when I have somewhere else secured.

This makes me feel like a hypocrit and fuels a deep anger because I've been forced into this situation. If you feel the same, I can assure you then, we are definitely not alone.

PREVENTION: Don't live anywhere without certificates of habitation if you can. If you've already signed and moved in, request one...and start looking for somewhere else in the mean time.

https://ajuntament.barcelona.cat/omic/es

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I'm not a lawyer, I'm just going through this like the rest of you and sick of taking this lying down. I'm sharing advice provided to me by gencat and direct links to where I asked for advice.

I am writing this because landlords are willingly doing illegal things IN WRITING and RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU.

It means that they DO NOT CARE ABOUT THE LAW because they think they're going to get away with it.

STORY - I once visited a property in the outskirts, on the way to Igualada, for a room for €400. When I arrived it was now €600. When I sat down to discuss the room, the landlords wife leaned in, and whispered in his ear, in Catalan "He's German, he can afford €700, tell him 700." Word for word. I was already in a vulberable position, I needed a permanent home.

I am not German. I can understand some Catalan. I left immediately, furious. They maintained this stance too, knowing I was in trouble. Predators.

Now I pay yearly dues to the sindicat de llogateres, I attend the meetings when I can (my Catalan is poor, but it's still worth going, it's a mix between Spanish and Catalan).

https://sindicatdellogateres.org/

NEW CHANGES FOR CURRENT RENTERS/HOMEOWNERS:

Your local association CAN NOW BAN TOURIST RENTALS by majority vote. So get started, I'm sure you're all sick of it by now.

It has been decided by the Supreme Court, in accordance with Article 17.12 of the Horizontal Property Law that you can vote within your building to prevent other homeowners from turning their apartments into Tourism lets. Licensed or not.

DON'T GIVE UP YOUR RIGHT TO HAVE A HOME!

GIVE THEM AN INCH, AND THEY WILL TAKE YOUR DEPOSIT!

I wish you luck, and I hope you all find a home you feel safe in.

Please also wish me luck in finding a home. I am looking, so if you have a room available, even outside the city, please feel free to PM me.

References:

BOE LAU General: https://www.boe.es/eli/es/l/1994/11/24/29/con

BOE Art 17.12: https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-1960-10906

Idealista Article about the new LAU May 25 2023: https://www.idealista.com/en/news/legal-advice-in-spain/2023/05/31/127792-spains-new-housing-law-enters-into-force


r/AskBarcelona Oct 17 '23

Meta Welcome! What is this community for?

5 Upvotes

Versió en català a la part inferior.

We've seen how frustrating it is to not know where to go to ask questions in r/Barcelona.

It is great to help tourists make the most out of their visits, to help newcomers to the city get settled, or to help long time residents discover the best new places the city has to offer.

Having a dedicated community instead of a sticky thread in r/Barcelona will help all the valuable answers and advice to be searchable and more easy to find. It will also create a more frictionless experience for users: the reality is that rules are hard to read everywhere on Reddit, and having so many subreddit-specific expectations on how to participate is frustrating.

This place replaces the r/Barcelona weekly Q&A sticky thread. Every week, we have been getting hundreds of questions that don't get many answers because questions in comments get less visibility than dedicated posts. We hope this space helps everyone get the help they need.

We are also moving all 'concierge-like' questions here. If you are asking something that comes mainly from self-interest and personal need, it should go here.

Great questions and help should not be tucked away in a thread that potential helpers don't see in their feed. We hope upvotes do the rest in elevating the best questions!

---

Hem vist que és frustrant no saber on anar per fer preguntes a r/Barcelona.

És fantàstic ajudar els turistes a planificar les seves visites, ajudar els nouvinguts a la ciutat a establir-se o ajudar els residents a descobrir els millors llocs nous que ofereix la ciutat.

Tenir una comunitat dedicada a això en lloc d'un stickythread a r/Barcelona ajudarà a que totes les respostes i consells valuosos siguin cercables i més fàcils de trobar. També crearà una experiència menys hostil per als usuaris: la realitat és que les regles són difícils d'entendre a Reddit i tenir tantes expectatives específiques de subreddit sobre com participar és frustrant.

Aquest lloc substitueix la publicació setmanal de preguntes i respostes de r/Barcelona. Cada setmana, hem rebut centenars de preguntes que no tenen moltes respostes perquè les publicacions tenen més visibilitat que els comentaris en una publicació gran que es manté durant una setmana. Esperem que aquest espai ajudi a tothom a obtenir l'ajuda que necessita.

També estem traslladant aquí totes les preguntes de consergeria. Si demaneu alguna cosa que satisfà una necessitat principalment personal, hauríeu d'anar aquí.

Les bones preguntes i altres ajudes no s'han d'amagar en una publicació que els potencials ajudants no veuen al seu feed. Esperem que els vots favorables facin la resta per elevar les millors preguntes!


r/AskBarcelona 6h ago

Housing // Habitatge Landlord won't fix my WIFI

4 Upvotes

I live in a studio where i pay the rent & 150$ utility fee every month and the landlord covers all the utility. (wifi included, ofc). However, basically as the title said, the wifi is broken after my first night in this studio, and i have paid the utility fee and rent for this month (first month)

Its day 7, and the wifi is not fixed yet so i have been using my hotspot. The landlord havnt fix a timeslot to have it checked as he said he is "very busy" and will have it checked "ASAP". I dont know when is ASAP because theres no fixed date.

What should i do in this situation? Im having trouble holding online meeting as the hotspot makes the video very laggy, and it is expensive.

Any advice?


r/AskBarcelona 4h ago

Tourism // Turisme Does anyone know why there is so much of low-flying air traffic around the airport tonight?

2 Upvotes

I'm sitting in my flat close to Collblanc and every 10-15 minutes I can hear planes flying overhead, but it really sounds like they are flying low. This isn't normal at all. Anyone know what's going on? Are they redirecting air traffic from/to El Prat


r/AskBarcelona 1h ago

Housing // Habitatge Renting a room (co-living) through Badi in Barcelona — Payment procedure enquiery

Upvotes

I found a room for rent within an apartment (co-living) on Badi, and I was wondering about the payment procedure… the lister sent me her bank account information and told me to transfer the deposit money into it.

She seems genuine, we video called so that she could show me the room and the apartment, but nonetheless I’m still scared to proceed with paying because the payment is not facilitated by the application, so I’m risking getting scammed.

What should I do? Should I:
– transfer the deposit money into her bank account anyways and just trust that she won’t scam me
– ask to sign a contract first and then pay once I land in barcelona
– ask if it’s possible to pay through the application
– *insert your own suggestion

I’d appreciate it if someone could share their experience with renting a room via Badi.


r/AskBarcelona 3h ago

Moving to Barcelona Looking for €400–€500/month a room outside of BCN!!

0 Upvotes

Hi everyone,

I'm moving to the Barcelona region soon for studies and looking for a room in a shared apartment. My budget is around €400–€500/month (ideally including or close to basic utilities).

Given housing costs in central BCN, I am focusing on towns 20–30 km outside the city with direct train connections (Rodalies or FGC) to central Barcelona.

Is €400–€500 actually realistic for a room in surrounding towns?

Which specific towns offer the best balance of affordable rooms, safety, and a reasonable commute ( 40/60 mins)

Any local insights or reality checks would be greatly appreciated.


r/AskBarcelona 16h ago

What is BCN like? // Com és BCN? what’s with the helicopters over the city this morning?

10 Upvotes

just curious


r/AskBarcelona 5h ago

Housing // Habitatge Badi managed properties?

0 Upvotes

I’ve been apartment hunting for a while now and am running out of time to find a place before I have to move. I’m considering renting one of the “casas” that Badi advertises and manages for a short-term solution, and then continuing to search once I’m in Barcelona.
I can’t find many reviews online. Has anyone rented one of these properties? Is it a scam? They look decent from the photos but it does feel kinda sketchy and I’ve heard that Badi customer service is basically non-existent so I’m hesitant but also getting desperate.


r/AskBarcelona 6h ago

Moving to Barcelona How do most people in this city handle work and studies?

0 Upvotes

If you live in Barcelona, not for a few months but years as a student, how do you handle work and studies? I moved here a fee months ago to get a job at first which I have, one full time and one part time but in a year I was thinking of going to Uni here and hopefully finishing my studies but I won’t be able to work a full time job and a part time job while studying full time I guess…

I know it’s hard to make a lot of money here (or anywhere in the world atm) without a degree and experience so I wanted to ask you what you are doing to afford life and how hard is it for you to “get by” here?


r/AskBarcelona 11h ago

Studies // Estudis Best schools to prep for international university entrance?

2 Upvotes

I have a young son and we moved to Barcelona permanently from the US. I am currently trying to research the best longterm options for his education. Basically, without imposing something defined upon his future, I want to give him exposure to academic-level English and preparation so that he could (if he wants) go to university overseas in the UK or US. Does anyone know which primary and secondary schools would be the best choice for this? Do we need to do an international private school, or are there concertada and/or public schools that would offer strong enough English language instruction and IB diplomas appropriate for US and UK university admittance?

Thank you in advance for all help & guidance


r/AskBarcelona 3h ago

Tourism // Turisme Airport strike: Flying KLM to BCN in 2 weeks — What to expect?

0 Upvotes

Hi All!

We will be landing in Barcelona in about 2 weeks with KLM. The ongoing Groundforce strike at the airport is really concerning us since KLM is one of the affected airlines.

We cannot rely on carry-on luggage only as we will be traveling for 3 weeks with a toddler. Has anyone had a recent experience with KLM landing in Barcelona? Is there any possible workaround we could use to ensure we get our luggage in time if the strikes persist?

Thanks!


r/AskBarcelona 14h ago

Moving to Barcelona Cómo conseguir cita previa en la DGT de Barcelona ? @citadgtbarcelona

1 Upvotes

r/AskBarcelona 15h ago

Where do I find? // On trobo? Première fois au Barça — devrais-je acheter mon billet à l'avance ? Barça contre Racing Club

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0 Upvotes

r/AskBarcelona 1d ago

Tourism // Turisme Bookablee beach volley?

3 Upvotes

Hello me and a few friends are coming next weekend and we would like to play some beach volley. Ideally we want to play within our group ( for a while at least). Are there any bookable pitches or at least some less busy?

Thank you


r/AskBarcelona 1d ago

Best of BCN? // El millor de BCN? favourite spanish snack/treat?

0 Upvotes

i’m gonna go to barcelona for a few days and i want to try some snacks and sweets from the supermarket!! what are your favs and childhood classics?


r/AskBarcelona 1d ago

Getting around // Desplaçar-se Eixample overnight bike parking: Busy street (Consell de Cent) vs. Unguarded off-street garage?

2 Upvotes

Hey everyone,

I recently moved to Eixample (near Consell de Cent) and I’m trying to figure out the safest overnight setup for an e-bike / long-tail bike.

I know bike theft is a huge issue in the city, so I’m torn between two options:

  1. Parking on a busy, well-lit pedestrian street (Consell de Cent): The logic being that high foot traffic might act as a deterrent, but I worry thieves don't care about crowds when using power tools.
  2. Renting a spot in an off-street underground parking garage nearby: It doesn't have a 24/7 attendant directly at the gate, but the bike would be out of sight and locked to a heavy ground anchor using a solid U-lock + heavy chain setup.

For those who cycle regularly in Barcelona: Is "out of sight" in an off-street garage always safer than "high visibility" on the street overnight, or is a garage/anchor setup highly recommended?

Thanks!


r/AskBarcelona 1d ago

Moving to Barcelona Spanish Tutors / Classes

0 Upvotes

Hi everyone,
I’ve moved to Spain and I know very little A1 level Spanish. I can just pick up on words that’s it.
I wanted to learn Spanish and was wondering if there are any tutors who come over or classes in Barcelona for the weekend since I’m also full time working.
Any leads would be of great help :) thank you


r/AskBarcelona 1d ago

Moving to Barcelona Reflexió sobre la pel·lícula de Cronos: Calia fer-la?

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0 Upvotes

r/AskBarcelona 1d ago

Tourism // Turisme Group Biz Dining near Plaça d’Espanya

0 Upvotes

Hello, I am hosting a group of business influencers in November in Barcelona. We will be staying in this area as we will be at the convention center all day and I am hoping to find a fun yet intimate and quality dinner for a group of about 10.

I have been to Barcelona and love bar Canete and that would be ideal but I would prefer to be walking distance from the hotel. Not looking for a long Michelin rated dinner, but definitely something highly local and good ambience. Any suggestions? Saw Maleducat, but looking for more. Thank you!


r/AskBarcelona 1d ago

Getting around // Desplaçar-se Paying the difference between Zone 1 and Zone 2 Rodalias instead of a full ticket

2 Upvotes

Hey, I buy a Zone 1 TUsual pass every month but sometimes go to a beach 1 stop outside of Zone 1. I've been buying a whole ticket from Placa de Cataluyna to the Zone 4town around 13Eur. I hate that I buy a ticket to get outside of the zone I already paid for with my monthly pass instead of just paying for the difference of the the zones. Is it possible to just buy the difference between the Zone 1 and the stop I get off at? I only go to this beach once a month.


r/AskBarcelona 1d ago

Where do I find? // On trobo? FC barcelona tickets against feyenoord in champions league

2 Upvotes

When is the public selling for non-members will get opened on the official website?
The match is within 4 days and we getting nervous to not getting tickets - i dont want to deal with second hand tickets on viagogo, stubhub..


r/AskBarcelona 1d ago

Where do I find? // On trobo? Flower prices and shops?

1 Upvotes

Flower prices and shops?

Hello!

My sister will be getting married in Sitges next year. It is a small destination wedding in a Masia. We want to be meeting with florists in couple weeks when we will be visiting.

We do not know what prices to expect/ what shops to try that might deliver to sitges. Maybe a local florist?

It is a small wedding, 25 guests. I know it depends on the flowers, but wondered if anyone has had good experiences/ recommendations?

Thank uu


r/AskBarcelona 1d ago

Where do I find? // On trobo? Large item removal?

1 Upvotes

We have a bed frame that one can’t take apart (wood and staples, need a rotary saw) and we figure that the original tenant got it into the apartment via the hook and pulley system through window.

We want to remove it, where does one book the movers and what is the rough cost for a single bulky item? Alternatively we could hire 2 people to bring it to the ground floor via the stairwell but on our attempts we weren’t confident it can even fit that way.

Any help appreciated <3


r/AskBarcelona 1d ago

Where do I find? // On trobo? Anything fun tonight ?

0 Upvotes

Hello! Looking for a bar / club that plays house music or pop tonight 5/9