Spain's rent decrees could cut housing supply, landlords warn

750,000 households in Spain need a home, according to a landlords’ group: it warns that new rent decrees could make finding one harder. The Spanish Council of Ministers approved the measures on Tuesday. In Madrid on 30 September, the Association of Rental Property Owners, known as Asval, called for them to be withdrawn.

Landlords warn of fewer homes to rent

Asval says the decrees shift the cost of protecting vulnerable families from public authorities onto private landlords, including people who own just one rental property. It warns that the result could be fewer homes to rent and greater difficulty for people without a current tenancy.

The group says earlier housing measures have already contributed to reduced supply and higher rents. It also argues that the new decrees seek to apply far-reaching rules retrospectively, creating legal uncertainty. Those are Asval’s claims, not established effects of the new measures. The group gives no specific forecast for Mallorca.

Asval calls for a different approach

Asval wants the decrees withdrawn and the reform reconsidered with Spain’s regional governments, which have responsibility for housing. It is calling for an assessment of each measure’s likely effect and for political and social agreement on stable rental rules.

It also wants more public investment in affordable homes. Its argument is that protecting families who need housing requires public resources, rather than placing that responsibility on individual landlords.

Topics: Housing · Politics · Economy

Source: Europa Press / Mallorca.com