PSOE, Sumar, ERC, EH Bildu and PNV have signed this Tuesday a proposed article to regulate seasonal and room rentals after agreeing on several modifications to the initial text in which the rule is discussed. The movement, which includes the socialists and the formation ruler to a bill registered by nationalist and left-wing groups, thus advances one more step in the parliamentary process, but it does so without the agreement of Junts, which and, therefore, the blocking of all initiatives that come from the coalition formations.
The Housing Commission is expected to vote on the opinion in its next session, which will probably be held next week. The intention of the left and PNV is to be able to approve it there without the need for it to go to full session. In this body there is a majority of members (not counting Junts), because the Mixed Group is represented by Podemos, a balance that is different in the chamber, and that is why the PP has already asked to take it to a full session, where they will surely force a defeat. If it passes to the Senate directly from the commission, the upper house could in any case veto or amend the law and weaken it completely. Approval in Congress would only serve to give the Government some breathing room at a very complex moment in the legislature.
The text that reforms some articles of the Urban Leasing Law (LAU) aims to put an end to one of the main holes in the housing regulation that came to light in 2023. Seasonal and room-based rentals were then left out of regulation, modalities that escape price control and that have served landlords to apply increases.
The proposal began its journey in Congress, after introducing some changes to attract Junts, which had knocked down a first proposal in plenary three months earlier. The law, an initiative that was based on the demands raised by the Tenants Union, has been kept in a drawer for almost a year. A week ago, in a gesture from the socialists towards the left-wing groups, the presentation was reactivated to discuss the articles behind closed doors.
The agreed text finally introduces several modifications to the initial proposal. Among others, a temporary rental is considered one that does not exceed 12 months in duration (compared to the nine initially proposed).
This modality will have the same guarantees as a regular rental contract, including the prohibition of charging fees to the tenant, deposit limits and price regulation. If the cause is not justified or if temporary contracts are linked with the same tenants, the contract will automatically become 5 or 7 years.
In the case of room rentals, the sum of the room rent may not exceed the limit established for the apartments. In addition, tenants will be protected with the same guarantees as if they had a regular rental of an entire apartment.
Among other issues, the articles prohibit the collection of IBI and non-payment insurance from tenants. The tenant is also allowed to make repairs and deduct the cost from the rent, in cases where the landlord was not complying with his obligation.
