The rise in rental prices has slowed in Catalonia, and especially in the city of Barcelona, ​​over the last year and a half. However, the third quarter of last year saw a slight increase compared to the previous quarter—1.55% in Barcelona and 2.59% in Catalonia—and the number of rental contracts signed has decreased, according to data from the Catalan Housing Agency based on deposits held by Incasòl. This data indicates that in the third quarter of 2025, the average rental price in Barcelona city was €1,153.11, while the average rental price across Catalonia was €876.83.

Parliament has approved the law by regulate seasonal and room rentalsThe objective? To prevent the use of these methods to circumvent the rent cap, in effect in Spain since March 2024. The initiative, a pioneering one in Spain, was approved thanks to the votes of the PSC, ERC, Comuns, and CUP parties. A broader consensus would have been desirable. The housing crisis is now the central element of the political agenda, the one that generates the most discontent and inequality, the one that has opened a vast generational gap, and the one that puts strain on families and cities. And it easily leads to political demagoguery. The PP's announcement that it will take the law to the Constitutional Court is a step in that direction. The situation is so serious that we cannot afford to turn housing into a matter of jurisdictional disputes. It's time to unite, reach consensus, and find solutions. We are talking about a social crisis of enormous proportions that continues to grow.

The Catalan Parliament on Thursday approved the long-awaited law regulating seasonal and room rentals. The aim of the legislation is to prevent these rental arrangements from being used fraudulently to circumvent the rent cap, which has been in effect throughout Spain since March 2024. The initiative, a first in Spain, was approved thanks to votes in favor from the PSC, ERC, Comuns, and CUP parties. Junts per Catalunya voted in favor of some articles of the law but rejected its core provisions, and, like the PP, had submitted the text to the Catalan Statutory Guarantees Council. endorsed the rule except for one articleRegarding the extension of the officially protected status of apartments in high-demand areas, the final text has strengthened this provision by incorporating several amendments from the sponsoring groups. The PP, Vox, and Aliança Catalana voted against it.

The divide between the two Barcelonas caused by the housing crisis is becoming increasingly profound, accelerating the gentrification of some neighborhoods and the depopulation of others. This is confirmed by the latest report from the Federation of Neighborhood Associations of Barcelona (FAVB), entitled SOS HousingThe study, which found that in 2024 there were more than 600 large speculative housing developments underway in the Catalan capital, affecting more than 11,800 homes, mostly involved families forced to leave their homes due to the expiration of their rental contracts. These developments are part of "the typical operation of buying an entire building, evicting the residents, and renovating to sell at luxury prices," spokespeople stated. The study combines official data (from the Catalan Housing Agency, the Barcelona City Council, and the Barcelona Metropolitan Area) with fieldwork conducted with neighborhood associations. The spokesperson for the FAVB Housing Commission, Jaume Artigues, explained that between the first and second halves of last year, speculative housing developments increased from 477 to 619. Of these, the vast majority (568 transactions) were intended for sale: 30% after new construction and 70% subsequently. In total, according to the report, between 2016 and 2024, approximately 75,000 rental contracts expired without renewal, affecting some 180,000 residents.