PSOE, Sumar, ERC, EH Bildu and PNV signed on Tuesday a proposed text to regulate seasonal and room rental after agreeing on several changes in the Congressional presentation discussing the rule. The movement, which includes socialists and training jeltzale to a bill registered by left-wing groups, thus takes one more step in the parliamentary process, but does so without the consent of Junts, who two weeks ago announced his break with the government and, therefore, the blocking of all initiatives coming from the coalition formations.
The expectation is that the Housing Commission will vote and approve the opinion in the next session, which could be held next week, without the need to bring it to the plenary session. In this body there is a majority of deputies, because the mixed group is represented by Podemos, a balance that is different in the Chamber, which is why the intention is that the law goes directly to the Senate, which will happen if the PP does not prevent it. Although the Upper House could veto or modify the law, weakening it completely, congressional approval would 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 Rental Law (LAU) aims to fill one of the main gaps in the housing standard approved in 2023. Seasonal and per-room rentals have therefore been excluded from the regulation, methods which therefore escape price control.
The proposal began its journey in Congress in December last year, after introducing some changes to attract Junts, who two months earlier had rejected a first proposal in plenary.
The bill, an initiative that arose from requests made by the Tenants Union, began its development in December last year and remained in a drawer for months. A week ago, with a gesture from the socialists towards left-wing groups, the presentation was reactivated to discuss the articles behind closed doors.
Finally, the agreed text introduces several changes to the initial proposal. Among others, temporary rental is considered to be one that does not exceed 12 months in duration (compared to the nine initially proposed).
This method will have the same guarantees as a normal rental contract, including the prohibition on charging rent to the tenant, deposit limits and price regulation. If the cause is not justified or if the fixed-term contracts are linked to the same tenants, the contract will automatically become 5 or 7 years.
In the case of room rental, the amount of the room rental fee cannot exceed the limit established for apartments. Furthermore, 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 insurance for non-payment by tenants; The tenant can make repairs and deduct the cost from the rent, in cases where the owner has not fulfilled his obligations.
