The 88.9% of real estate agencies claims to be detecting problems in the usual residential rental market by small landlords following the entry into force of the measures included in the latest housing decrees from the Government, according to an express survey by the National Federation of Real Estate Associations (FAI) based on more than 600 offices consulted in the main provincial capitals and other large cities in the country.
According to this report, the most widespread effect of these regulatory changes is the withdrawal of apartments from the long-term rental market, a situation indicated by 78.1% of agencies, with an average of 3.78 affected homes per office.
In parallel, 72.4% of real estate agencies indicate that there has been a halt or strong slowdown in the signing of new rental contracts, with an average of 2.75 halted operations per agency. Additionally, 56.6% confirms that part of the supply is moving to sales (2.26 properties on average) and 38.9% observes a shift of ads towards seasonal rentals or room rentals (1.76 on average). Only 11.1% of the offices claim to continue working without alterations.
In absolute figures, the preliminary data collected by FAI in the last ten days points to a direct impact on 5,758 operations. 2,067 homes have been identified as withdrawn from the usual rental market, 1,224 moved to the sales market, and 944 redirected to other rental formulas, which means 4,235 properties that are leaving or being diverted from residential rental, to which 1,523 contracts that have been suspended are added.
With this context of uncertainty among small landlords, the federation anticipates that in the coming weeks the volume of rental operations could decrease between 25% and 30%, combining both the halt in signings and the withdrawal and change of use of part of the available stock.
The president of FAI, José María Alfaro, claims to understand and share the citizen discontent and social pressure in the face of difficulties in accessing housing, the economic burden that tenants bear, and the problem of evictions, although he warns that the latest decrees are generating "serious consequences".
On one hand, it emphasizes that the fall or delay in the formalization of contracts leaves many families in a delicate situation who have been left without rental alternatives. On the other, it highlights that the new regulations have not adequately considered the position of small property owners, as they do not fully define or guarantee coverage against non-payments, which is conditioned to a "labyrinth of bureaucratic procedures and competencies between administrations."
Alfaro considers it "risky" to resort to the Permanent Deputation to approve partial solutions on such a "delicate and complex" issue, as, in his opinion, it means increasing regulatory pressure and legislating hastily on a tense market.
In light of this scenario, the president of FAI insists on the urgency of launching an "Emergency Marshall Plan" to facilitate access to housing, conceived with criteria of urgency and exceptionality and supported by a state pact that involves parliamentary forces, regional governments, social movements, and sector specialists.