Barcelona: Discrimination And Real Estate in 2020

Discrimination is a serious issue today in our world. It is everywhere; at work, in governments, schools and also in Real Estate. In Barcelona, a new case is in the media as an apartment advertisement states it would only accept Spanish people to rent their apartment, certainly, this is discrimination against foreigners living in Barcelona. In this blog, we will discuss the current laws against discrimination in Spain, the current cases against real estate agencies and what your rights are as someone looking for a flat in Barcelona.

1. What Is The Law In Spain In Real Estate?

The laws and rights protecting you when you rent an apartment in Barcelona exist under the Spanish Constitution. This recognises the right for people to not be discriminated against their origin, that includes discrimination in real estate. We recommend our clients to know their rights before they rent an apartment. If you think that you have been treated unfairly, we suggest you visit The Anti-Discrimination Office in Barcelona which is 5 minutes from the Casamona Office in Carrer dels Flassaders 42, El Born. 

Laws and Renting in Barcelona

Active Cases Of Discrimination In Barcelona Real Estate:

Currently, there have been 145 cases officially reported of discrimination in Real Estate since August 2019. Most notably, the case with Idealista and The New House Barcelona  where the rental description states that the tenant must be ‘from Spain’. This requirement is discriminatory against internationals searching for a flat and Idealista and The New House Barcelona have been fined 90,001€ .

How Are You Protected Against Discrimination When Looking For A Flat In Real Estate:

When you rent an apartment in Barcelona, you will always have to provide sufficient solvency documents and identification documents. First of all, if you like an apartment you pay an offer fee. Then we send you solvency documents to the owner. Examples of solvency documents include; bank statements, identification cards, passports, salary cheques and work contracts. It is the owner’s decision to accept or reject a client based on solvency documents. For example, if you cannot prove you will be able to pay the rent, however, it is illegal for an apartment owner to reject you because of your nationality, ethnicity or origin.

This is one of our apartments available now

How Does Casamona Fight Discrimination In Real Estate?

Above all, at Casamona, we pride ourselves on making the rental process accessible for everyone. To view the rental process and understand it better, look here. We are intolerant of all forms of discrimination. Casamona operates an International office with agents from many different nationalities and are accessible to all clients. All of our rental agents speak Spanish and English. We also have rental agents who speak Catalan, Italian, French, German, Danish, Bulgarian and Serbian. This helps communication with flat owners and clients and shows that we are a diverse and international team. Finally, we are an empathetic team and supportive team, we will always listen and understand!

Members of our Rental Team at Casamona

We would be more than happy to help you find the perfect apartment to suit your criteria here in Barcelona. We offer apartments across the city and specialise in flats in El Born and El Gótico. Barcelona is a vibrant city, with beautiful golden beaches and exciting culture. Discrimination in real estate is all over the world, although there have been several cases in Barcelona recently please don’t let that put you off renting an apartment in this great city. Casamona is an International company, we are experienced and well-known in Barcelona, therefore we are confident we will support you in the best way through your rental process.

If you are interested in renting a flat with Casamona, please visit our website at Casamona.com , Call us on 933041532 or email us at info@casamona.com.