A prominent tenants’ rights group has formally requested that Barcelona City Council penalise a property firm for allegedly circumventing a crucial social housing law in four of its ‘coliving’ buildings. The Sindicat de Llogateres (Tenants’ Union) claims the company, Vandor, has avoided its obligation to create 17 affordable homes in the city’s densely populated Eixample district.
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The dispute centres on a landmark Barcelona regulation, recently upheld by Spain’s Supreme Court, which mandates the allocation of 30% of new constructions or major refurbishments to protected social housing. This rule is a key municipal tool in tackling the city’s ongoing housing crisis. The union alleges that Vandor’s renovations to convert traditional flats into modern coliving spaces-a model where residents rent individual rooms but share communal facilities-were substantial enough to trigger the 30% requirement.
Investigation Focuses on Four Eixample Properties
According to the complaint filed with the City Council, the properties under investigation are located at Carrer de Nàpols 106, Carrer del Consell de Cent 538, Carrer de Rocafort 219, and Carrer d’Entença 69. The Tenants’ Union, citing the council’s own technical inspection documents, argues that the work carried out constituted a “major rehabilitation.” They contend Vandor should have applied for a major works licence, which includes the social housing provision, instead of minor works permits.
A City Council source confirmed to betevé that its Eixample district department has “open files” on all four properties for “not having correctly processed the building licence.” The council has reportedly required the company to apply for the appropriate licence. The most advanced case is at Entença 69, where Vandor has lodged an appeal that is awaiting a decision. If the appeal fails, the company will have to submit the major rehabilitation licence application.
Meanwhile, council officials have been meeting with affected tenants, both in specific meetings and as part of the Eixample district’s ‘Table for the Right to Rented Housing’.
The Human Cost of Redevelopment
Behind the administrative battle are long-term residents facing displacement. Elisabeth Lezama, who has lived in her flat at Consell de Cent 538 for 28 years, pays €670 a month in rent and faces eviction on 16 April. “I have nowhere to go,” she stated.
Other tenants, such as Rosario Castelló at Entença 69 and Wendy Sosa at Carrer de la Concòrdia 12, are also resisting, with support from the union, and are demanding new rental contracts. Vandor claims it reaches agreements for 94% of its tenants to vacate, either through contract expiration or financial compensation. For the small number who resist, the company, owned by the British investment fund Patron Capital, says it has offered “alternative housing with similar characteristics” on contracts of up to seven years, asserting it has a “clear social commitment.”
A ‘Technical Discrepancy’
Vandor firmly rejects the allegations, stating that “the actions it carries out in all its properties are not major works.” In a statement, the company said it would present the relevant appeals and legal challenges, citing what it calls “a fundamental technical discrepancy in the assessment of the works.” Vandor added it would “defend its position based on objective and consolidated architectural criteria.”
The company, which owns 13 buildings and manages six more in Barcelona, focuses on short-term room rentals. It acknowledges that current rent caps will reduce its profits by 40% but has ruled out converting its properties to traditional long-term residential lets.
Political Fallout at City Hall
The issue has also sparked a political row. The Barcelona en Comú (BComú) party has called for the Deputy Mayor for Urbanism, Laia Bonet, to appear before the council to explain the alleged failure to enforce the 30% rule. BComú holds Mayor Jaume Collboni’s administration “ultimately responsible for non-compliance” and accuses it of “lethargy in carrying out inspections.”
The party, previously in government, claims the current administration has frozen five multi-million-euro fines it had initiated for similar breaches, replacing them with urban planning sanctions of less than €3,000. For BComú, the 30% rule is a “containment dike to protect residents from mass evictions” driven by the conversion of homes into coliving spaces.
The standoff highlights the growing tension between new property investment models and the city’s efforts to preserve its affordable housing stock amid soaring rental prices, a key concern for many residents and a persistent political challenge. As the City Council’s investigations proceed, the outcome could set a significant precedent for urban development in Barcelona.
