Alquiler asequible: los anuncios de 'Casa 47' no cumplen la norma que aprobó el propio Gobierno

The Alquiler asequible report highlights discrepancies in the new Casa 47 portal's rental listings, which the government hopes will channel affordable rental offers. On Monday, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and Housing and Urban Agenda Minister Isabel Rodríguez announced the launch of Casa 47, the entity through which the executive branch aims to funnel protected housing supply.

The launch was marked by controversy, after the portal presented a sparse offering of 800 affordable rental properties - none in Spain's major cities Madrid and Barcelona - with the public body promising to add 1,500 more soon. This issue appears to be just one of several that raise doubts about the new portal's utility. The Observatorio del Alquiler has accused the tool of serious violations of the regulation the government itself enacted and obliges squatters to follow in their listings.

According to them, Casa 47 listings fail to differentiate between zones with high rental market tension (ZRMT) and others, despite this information being present in the call's bases. The listings also omit global energy consumption information, do not display the corresponding energy label image, and fail to show specifications on facilities, utilities, and additional costs such as community fees.

Despite the limited rental inventory and identified irregularities, Housing Minister has been visibly annoyed by opposition and her own party's criticism in recent days, claiming they spoke from utter ignorance. The ministry said the portal will eventually list up to 40,000 properties, including those expropriated by the state through Sareb.

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez explained on Monday that contracts signed within Casa 47's umbrella would have initial terms of 14 years, extendable up to 75. Inhabitants of public housing parks must not spend more than 30% of their income on rent, which will be determined by each property's characteristics and the economic reality of each municipality.

However, the Observatorio del Alquiler points out that some prices listed in the calls exceed this 30% for residents in certain locations. For instance, in Turís, Valencia, the portal displays 19 three-bedroom, three-bathroom listings priced between 721 and 956 euros. With over 7,000 inhabitants, this Valencia municipality has a net monthly income of 31,713 euros, which, divided by 12, offers a monthly net income of 2,642.75 euros.

Thus, the six properties listed at 927 and 956 euros each represent a living expense burden exceeding 35% of the available income in the municipality.