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- April 11, 2025
- Barcelona, Blanes, Lloret de Mar, Playa de Aro, Tossa de Mar
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New Rent Caps in Catalonia: Now Also for Seasonal Rentals and Room Rentals
🏠 New Rent Caps in Catalonia: Now Also for Seasonal Rentals and Room Rentals
The Government of Catalonia has introduced new regulations that extend rent control measures to seasonal rentals and room rentals, aligning them with the rules for long-term residential leases — especially in areas declared as high-demand or “tense housing markets”.
According to the new decree-law, these types of rentals must comply with the same maximum price limits as regular long-term leases. In detail:
- Any rental intended to meet a housing need, regardless of its duration, will be considered a long-term residential lease.
- The only exception applies to properties intended for touristic or recreational use, which must provide valid proof of that purpose when signing the rental agreement.
- For room rentals: the total rent collected for all rooms in a single property cannot exceed the legal maximum rent for that entire property.
- Any attempt to circumvent these rules will be considered fraudulent, especially if contracts include misleading clauses or unfair terms.
📊 Where to Check Rental Price Caps in Catalonia?
👉 Official website to verify legal rent limits in regulated areas:
agenciahabitatge.gencat.cat
Section: Índex de referència dels preus de lloguer d’habitatges
Using this online tool, you can:
- Look up the maximum legal rental price for a specific address
- View average market prices per square meter
- Download a detailed price report in PDF — required for legally compliant lease agreements
🔍 Barcelona – Spain’s Leader in Seasonal Rentals
According to data from Idealista:
- Barcelona accounts for the largest share of seasonal rentals in Spain (43% of the market)
- It also has the highest room rental prices in the country:
Average of €620/month, ahead of Madrid (€565), following a 17% yearly increase
📉 However, permanent rental listings are shrinking:
- In Barcelona, long-term rental supply has dropped 58% in the last five years
- Meanwhile, seasonal rentals rose by 31% in Barcelona, 167% in Girona, 57% in Tarragona, and 82% in Lleida
🏗️ More Affordable Housing and New Powers for Local Authorities
The decree also includes:
- Extension of protected housing status in high-demand zones as long as those conditions persist
- Municipalities can now decide whether new protected housing projects require parking spaces
- Expansion of government’s right of first refusal (tanteo y retracto) on properties owned by large landlords
- Rental deposits managed by Incasòl will now be allocated to public housing development, mostly for rental use
🧭 The aim of the new law is to restore balance in the housing market, ensure a sufficient and affordable rental supply, and address existing shortages and distortions — all under fair and transparent conditions.
