Property owners have borne the brunt of recent housing protests and measures introduced by the government to appease tenants. But are they really to blame for Spain’s property crisis? Here are your views on the matter.
With the housing crisis at the forefront of the Spanish population’s worries currently, the country’s Socialist-led government has twice passed legislation aimed at improving the situation for the country’s nine million tenants.
The first set of housing decrees were rejected by right-wing parties in the Spanish Parliament, leading Pedro Sánchez to call a snap election for November 29th.
In the meantime, his PSOE party has used the dissolution of Parliament as a way of re-introducing the rejected housing measures in the hope of getting them approved by the Standing Committee, in which the Socialists have greater control.
READ ALSO: What’s different about Spain’s new housing laws compared to the rejected ones?
Much of this legislation imposes restrictions on landlords, who have been singled out by many protesters as the main culprits of the housing crisis.
One of the new measures includes a clause stating that landlords would have to pay tenants one year’s rent if they refused to renew rental contracts without a good reason.
While these law still have to be officially approved, they are already having an effect, as many landlords are already taking their properties off the market.
READ ALSO: ‘I’m not a vulture fund!’ – Landlords in Spain feel attacked amid housing protests
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To find out if landlords are actually getting any sympathy in this situation, we asked our readers what they thought.
Your answers fell into three different camps – those that had no sympathy for landlords at all, those that did and feel like the situation is unfair for them and those who said that it depends on the type of landlord.
Out of those who had no sympathy for them at all, one reader wrote “Most landlords do ok quite honestly, my sympathy would be better placed..”.
Another added: “No. If they need to, they can work for a living”.
While another agreed: “No, no sympathy for any landlord! Houses should be homes for people not an investment to leach off people’s hard work”.
“There are hundreds of things to invest in instead of buying a second property. Having a roof over your head should be a basic human right in this age of our human development. Look elsewhere instead of bricks and mortar to invest your cash! Simple,” said another.
READ ALSO: What is ‘rentismo’ and how is it linked to Spain’s housing crisis?
“Landlords are extremely exploitive. They expect you to maintain their investment while illegally overcharging you rent monthly making you pay their agency fees, 3 months deposit etc because they know the market is in their favour,” another angry reader wrote.
Others thought the exact opposite and had lots of sympathy for property owners who rent out to tenants. They thought that landlords were being treated very unfairly in this situation and are being blamed for a lot.
“I feel more sorry for landlords than I do tenants. Until the law changes and gives landlords better protection, then it’s hardly surprising that people would rather leave their property empty than take a chance with renting it,” one wrote.
“Yes, of course. Landlords are ordinary people like you and me,” another said.
“Private property is just that – private. Enough said” another added.
“If you take into account that most landlords are people with only handful of flats at most… then yes, I support them. It’s their property,” another concurred.
“Most Spanish landlords are hardworking – seriously devoted people who invest and build their own wealth… RESPECT” one confirmed.
“All landlords deserve better protection” another reader wrote in agreement.
“No one gave landlords properties, they had to work hard for them. If renters don’t want to pay what they are asking for rent, go get a mortgage and buy your own,” concluded another.
The majority of readers, however, had sympathy for some landlords but not all. For many, it depended on whether they owned just a couple of properties or whether they were big companies renting out many.
“I support fair, honest, and rule-obeying landlords. I don’t support dishonest and unethical landlords,” one explained.
READ ALSO: How vulture funds are worsening Spain’s housing crisis
“For foreign/overseas investors with a portfolio of properties, especially holiday lets in highly populated areas…..no….get rid of them or let the squatters move in, but for individuals living here and trying to make an honest profit letting out empty homes…yes,” another reader summed up.
“I’m not sure that the treatment of small mom & pop type landlords is their own fault… there must be smarter laws protecting both tenant and landlord without the knee-jerk response. Plus, agents seem to be a big part of the problem too,” another agreed.
“I have some, not much, sympathy for small landlords (those with one flat to rent). Life happens and you might need to move, and you are paying rent for one place and getting rent for another. ZERO sympathy for landlords with multiple rented properties,” another added.
“When people don’t pay and wreck property, yes but renters need protection from unscrupulous owners” another wrote.
Some readers went on to explain why they had compassion for certain landlords and how they believe the situation is causing more to take their properties off the market.
“It is unthinkable that an okupa [squatter] can break into your house, stay for 2 years while you pay all of their expenses. I have decided not to invest in Spain while this ridiculous situation exists,” one explained.
“The Spanish regulations for long-term rentals is killing the incentive to rent out, or build rental properties. Renting out long-term is now one of the most hazardous business there is for a property owner,” another agreed.
READ ALSO: The loophole landlords in Spain are using to bypass rent caps
“There’s a shortage of housing also because of the ridiculous okupa laws and landlords are afraid to rent out to anyone. In Barcelona alone there are many empty apartments…. The government should perhaps buy all the apartments owned by banks and then use them for social housing” one reader added.
“Spanish landlords are not the problem, the government and vested interests that out to pit one side against the other without actually addressing the serious issues is,” another summed up the issue.
READ ALSO: Spain’s opposition pledges prison time or deportation for squatters
