Spain’s government has approved two new housing decrees containing measures aimed at strengthening tenant protections, addressing rental-market practices, increasing affordable housing and helping some first-time buyers access home ownership.
The measures were approved on Tuesday as pressure over housing costs continues to grow, with housing affordability and access to rented and owned homes becoming increasingly difficult issues for households across Spain.
The package includes proposed stronger protection against evictions, measures targeting speculative housing purchases, new rules for some rental arrangements, tax incentives for landlords and a new zero-interest financing scheme for people buying their first home.
The government has also proposed changes affecting tourist apartments and affordable housing construction, while a second decree focuses specifically on greater stability for tenancy contracts.
Two decrees make up the housing package
The government’s announcement is divided into two separate decrees.
The first and broader package covers four main areas:
- Protection for vulnerable tenants facing eviction.
- Measures aimed at limiting speculative housing purchases.
- Action against abuses involving rental contracts.
- Measures intended to improve housing affordability and access.
The second decree focuses on rental stability and aims to provide greater security for people living in rented accommodation.
The government now intends to move the measures through parliament and has requested an extraordinary session of Congress to consider the legislation.
However, the measures still face the parliamentary process before they can take full effect.
Government proposes extending protection against evictions
One of the central elements of the package concerns households at risk of losing their homes.
The government plans to extend Spain’s so-called social shield until 2030, with the stated aim of strengthening protection for vulnerable people facing the loss of their homes.
Housing Minister Isabel Rodríguez linked the proposal to the recent eviction of an 87-year-old woman in Madrid, a case that has become a focus of public attention during the country’s housing debate.
The government says the extended protections would provide additional safeguards for vulnerable households.
The precise operation and implementation of the proposed measures will depend on the legislative process.
Spain targets speculative housing purchases
The broader decree also contains measures aimed at housing purchases that the government considers speculative.
The government says it intends to identify companies involved in speculative housing operations and introduce measures affecting acquisitions by investment funds.
It also wants to use the tax system to encourage investment towards affordable housing rather than speculative activity.
The proposals come as Spain faces continuing debate over the role of investment, housing supply and demand, and the availability of homes at prices that households can afford.
New measures target rental-market practices
Another part of the package focuses on rental contracts.
The government wants to address what it describes as abuses involving short-term and room-by-room rental contracts where such arrangements are used to avoid rules applying to ordinary residential tenancies.
The measures also address tourist accommodation.
The government has proposed a 10% VAT rate for tourist apartments, while Rodríguez said illegal tourist apartments should be dealt with by regional authorities.
The proposals come amid continuing debate in Spain over the effect of tourist accommodation on the availability of homes for long-term residents.
Tax breaks and zero-interest financing for first-time buyers
The package also includes measures aimed at helping households access home ownership.
The government has announced tax incentives for landlords, saying these could reduce housing costs for some families by an amount equivalent to around one month’s rent.
Another proposal is aimed at people who have sufficient income to purchase a property but struggle to accumulate the savings required for a deposit.
The government has announced a programme called “Tu Casa”, which would provide zero-interest financing to help eligible people purchase their first home.
The package also includes plans to encourage the construction of affordable housing.
A proposed reduction in VAT to 4% would apply to protected and publicly developed housing under the measures announced by the government.
Second decree focuses on rental stability
The second decree deals specifically with tenancy stability.
The government says the measure is intended to provide greater security for people living in rented accommodation and to address a specific part of Spain’s rental housing problems.
The proposal is separate from the broader package covering evictions, speculative purchases, rental-market practices and affordability.
This distinction is important because the two decrees contain different measures and will follow the parliamentary process separately.
Housing protests continue in Spain
The government’s announcement comes against the backdrop of continuing housing protests.
An encampment has been established at Madrid’s Puerta del Sol, with the Tenants’ Union among the organisations involved. Demonstrations have also taken place in other Spanish cities.
The groups behind the encampment have said they intend to keep it in place despite the government’s approval of the new measures.
Regional authorities have given the central government’s delegation 48 hours to dismantle the encampment and have warned that they could take the matter to court if it remains.
The continued protests mean the government’s announcement has not ended the wider dispute over housing conditions and rental costs.
Political negotiations preceded the agreement
The approval followed negotiations within Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s coalition government.
According to Euronews, disagreements involving Sumar, the junior coalition partner, over concessions to Junts contributed to delays before the cabinet meeting.
The government is now seeking to move the measures through parliament quickly, although their final passage will depend on support in Congress.
The parliamentary stage will therefore be important in determining which proposals ultimately become law and how they are implemented.
What the new Spanish housing measures include
Key measures announced by the Spanish government include:
- Extending the social shield for vulnerable households facing eviction until 2030.
- Measures aimed at limiting speculative housing purchases.
- Action concerning acquisitions by investment funds.
- New measures targeting abuses involving short-term and room-by-room rental contracts.
- A proposed 10% VAT rate for tourist apartments.
- Tax incentives for landlords.
- The “Tu Casa” zero-interest financing scheme for eligible first-time buyers.
- A proposed 4% VAT rate for protected and publicly developed housing.
- A separate decree intended to strengthen rental-contract stability.
- Plans to increase the supply of affordable housing.
The measures are proposals within a legislative package and still have to proceed through Spain’s parliamentary process.
Spain’s housing crisis remains a wider issue
The new measures address several different parts of Spain’s housing system, from eviction protection and rental contracts to housing investment, affordable construction and access to home ownership.
However, the announcement itself does not establish how much the measures will change rents, house prices or housing availability.
Their eventual impact will depend on the final legislation, implementation by national and regional authorities, the response of landlords and investors, and the supply of affordable homes.
For renters and prospective buyers, the parliamentary process will therefore be important in determining the final form of the measures and when they take effect.
The Spanish government’s latest package represents a significant new stage in its response to the country’s housing pressures, but the measures remain subject to the legislative process.
Source: Euronews, 29 September 2026.
