The Tenants’ Union has sounded the alarm over the future of housing in Catalonia, warning that 120,000 rental contracts signed in 2021 are due to expire in 2026. Around 32,000 of them are in Barcelona alone, raising fears of mass displacement if landlords refuse to renew leases.
The concern is particularly acute for tenants in buildings purchased by investment firms, where non-renewal is often followed by flats being switched to seasonal rentals or individual rooms, markets not subject to price regulation. The Union argues that this shift undermines housing stability and drives up costs for long-term residents.
A case in point is a block on Carrer de Concòrdia in the Poblesec district, bought earlier this year by an investment company. Two contracts there have already lapsed without renewal, and neighbours worry others will follow. Five flats had been ceded to the city council’s social rental pool, but campaigners criticised the municipality for failing to exercise its right of first refusal when the building went on sale. The property changed hands for €1.8 million.
City officials responded that the purchase was not viable, given the contractual situation and lack of available units for new families. They stressed that tenants in the council’s social pool would be rehoused if necessary, and that the city prioritises acquisitions of larger buildings with vacant flats or vulnerable residents.
The Tenants’ Union has pledged to launch an information campaign to prevent affected households from leaving quietly, urging renters to stand firm and demand their rights. With thousands of contracts set to expire simultaneously, 2026 could prove to be a turning point in the region’s already tense housing crisis.
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