For several years now, The housing crisis in Spain It has gone from being a problem to become a real social emergency. The prices of Rentals They have reached record figures, making the possibility of emancipating virtually impossible for many young people. Not only do they suffer this situation: whole families are forced to allocate much of their income to the payment of the rent, while The purchase of a house is still an unattainable dream For many.
The problem is not new, but what really worries is that The forecasts are not encouraging. According to experts in economics and housing, the situation could get worse in the coming years if effective measures are not taken. Current policies seem not to have given the expected results, and the initiatives that have been promoted so far have generated unforeseen consequences that have aggravated the crisis instead of solving it. In this context, Economy Professor Gonzalo Bernardos has launched a forceful warning about the future of the rental market In Spain. In a recent intervention In the podcast Think Small, Bernardos assured that the rental regulation has been an absolute failure and that the restrictions imposed have generated an opposite effect with a government, which has affirmed “has crushed the rental market.”
Hard notice of an expert about rentals in Spain
One of the main problems, according to the economist, is the absence of a clear and effective housing policy by successive governments. «Here, practically In the last fifteen years, PP and PSOE have not had housing policy, ”said Bernardos, pointing out that for him, only units have tried to implement measures in this area. However, the teacher is sharp by stating that these proposals have been more oriented to obtain votes than to really solve the rental crisis.
The restrictions imposed on owners, price controls and other similar measures have had a negative impact In the market, reducing the supply of housing available for rent. This has led many people to be in desperate situations, without affordable options to find a decent home in large cities.
The opposite effect of rental controls
Bernardos warns that rental controls, far from helping to reduce prices, have caused a black market in which prices are even higher than in a stage without regulations. «Saying that one can have a reduced price rent is simply deceiving people, because rental controls have always given rise to the same fact. First, what they do is prevent access to a rent to many people. Second, what they generate is a large black market, and a price in the black market far higher than the market in a normal situation»He explained in his analysis.
This phenomenon is especially visible in communities such as Cataloniawhere real estate agencies receive offers of desperate tenants willing to pay more than allowed legally in order to get an apartment for rent. «In Catalonia, people are entering real estate agencies asking them to please a home. They are told that they are willing to pay more than what the fixed rental control. They are told that the real estate agent is paid to get a home, although this prevents the law. AND They are told that the owner, thoroughly lost, are willing to pay from 3,000 to 6,000 euros. He is absolutely worrying, ”Bernardos warned.
The purchase, the only viable option
The rental crisis has led to many families to look for alternatives in the purchase of housing, since, in many cities, the fee of a mortgage is lower than the monthly payment of a rent. «This is generating that there is only one market, and that market is the purchase. And it is causing parents and grandparents to transfer money to children as they have never done, either through donations, through loans between individuals. Because? Because today in the 52 capitals of the province of Spain, in any house it is cheaper to pay the mortgage fee than to pay a rent, ”explained the economist.
However, the purchase is not an accessible option for all. Although mortgages may seem like a more affordable alternative, Many people cannot access them due to job instabilityhigh entry requirements or lack of sufficient savings to face initial expenses. In this way, the housing crisis becomes a vicious circle in which more and more people are trapped.
What solutions are there to stop the rental crisis?
Given this bleak panorama, experts insist on the need to implement real and effective solutions to improve access to housing. Measures like him Increased public housing supply, tax incentives for owners who rent at affordable prices and support prices Tenants could help balance the market.
It is also fundamental Review current regulations to prevent them from continuing to generate negative effects on the rental market. Instead of imposing price controls that only reduce the offer and encourage the black market, some economists suggest more flexible formulas that protect both owners and tenants without distorting market dynamics.
The worst is yet to come if measures are not taken
The notice of Gonzalo Bernardos is clear: the rental crisis in Spain has not only been solved, but also It could get worse in the coming years if urgent measures are not taken. The lack of an effective housing policy, the reduction of the offer and the constant rise of prices make the situation unsustainable for thousands of people throughout the country.
If the government does not act in a decisive and effective way, Access to housing will continue to be a luxury only within a fewwhile the rest of the population will be forced to allocate most of its income to an increasingly high rental or continue depending on family aid to buy a home. Time is pressing, and the solution cannot expect much more.
