Rental assistance plan in Spain: microcredits, direct aid and suspension of evictions

The Spanish Cabinet has today approved an aid plan for tenants having trouble paying the rental fee. The following points stand out:

  • Suspension of evictions for 6 months from the end of the alarm state
  • The automatic 6-month extension of rental contracts to prevent abusive increases
  • Direct aid of up to € 900 after the crisis

This plan includes microcredits guaranteed by the State at zero cost.

The objective is that all unemployed people, those affected by a temporary employment record and the self-employed who have seen their income significantly reduced due to COVID-19, can benefit.

These measures have been announced, after the Council of Ministers, the spokesperson and Minister of Finance, María Jesús Montero, the second vice president of Social Rights, Pablo Iglesias, and the third vice president, Nadia Calviño.

A distinction has been made between small and large owners. The small owners will be guaranteed the full collection of the rents, and the investment and home funds, which will assume part of the impact of these measures and you will have to carry out restructuring of the debts of the tenants. The idea is for the State to take over with public funds the debts of all those tenants in situations of vulnerability due to the Covid-19 crisis, a situation that can lead to exemption from payment to thousands of households.

An automatic 6-month extension of all rental contracts has also been approved, which means that no tenant with a current contract can raise their rent for the next 6 months.

Regarding microcredits (without interest costs or commissions) they can be repaid in up to 6 years. If after these 6 years they have not been returned, an additional term of 4 more years will be enabled.

The conditions for tenants’ access to microcredit programs are also expanded, which will be less restrictive than in other cases in which the concept of “vulnerable housing” is applied. In this case, all unemployed people, from ERTO or with reduced working hours, and the self-employed who do not reach the limit of three times the IPREM (increase for children and dependent dependents) are allowed to participate.

In any case, these tenants will always be able to take advantage of the ICO credit lines, and families who cannot afford to pay the microcredits will have direct state aid to pay off the debt with the ICO.

It is anticipated that the amount of the aid could reach a maximum amount of € 900 per month and up to 100% of the principal and interest of the subscribed loan. In addition, a grant of € 200 per month could also be approved to cover the costs of maintenance, community and basic supplies with the limit of 100% of these.

If you want to know the measures that the Spanish government has aproved due to the Covid-19, real the next article.

If you have any doubt, our team will be very pleased to answer any questions you could have. Contact us!