The majority of Spaniards support the temporary measure of limiting the rise in rents to 2%
Untie the rise in rents from the historical peak of inflation, located at 9.8%. At the end of March, the Government approved a temporary limitation of the revaluation of the rents that tenants pay for their properties, setting a cap of 2%. A measure that is part of the shock plan to deal with the economic effects of the war in Ukraine and that has the support of a majority of citizens, especially left-wing voters.
This is reflected in the survey carried out by Simple Lógica for elDiario.es. This analysis shows that 55% of citizens are in favor of this limitation that, in principle, will last three months.
Specifically, 27% of those surveyed say they "strongly agree" with this measure, which the Second Vice President and Minister of Labor, Yolanda Díaz, described as a message to focus on housing as "a fundamental right." "Paying the rent, sometimes, is impossible," she assured when presenting the shock plan after the Council of Ministers on March 29.
In the analysis carried out by Simple Lógica, another 28% of those surveyed answered "quite in agreement" when asked "to what extent do you agree with the measure that has been decided to limit the rise in rents to a two%?".
On the other hand, 39% of the citizens surveyed are against implementing this limitation. In detail, 18% state that they "quite disagree" and another 21% "strongly disagree". Only 7% of the opinions reflected in the Simple Lógica analysis do not opt for supporting or rejecting the 2% cap.
The temporary limit to the increase in rental prices concentrates significantly more support among left-wing voters. 81% of those surveyed who declare themselves voters of United We Can are in favor of this measure, either strongly agree (54%), or fairly agree (27%); and only 7% of the voters of the purple formation say they strongly disagree.
In the case of those who vote for the PSOE, the survey shows that 68% of their voters subscribe to the limit on rent increases. Within that percentage, 31% are very much in favor.
On the other hand, when it comes to voters of the PP, Vox and Cs, more than half of those who support these three formations are against limiting the rise in rents and separating them from inflation.
The greatest rejection, among PP voters, with 65%. In the case of the formation chaired by Alberto Núñez Feijoó, 30% of its voters agree with the measure.
Meanwhile, 63% of Vox voters oppose it and the same happens with 51% of Cs voting respondents. In the case of these two formations, 30% and 41% of their voters support this decision of the Government, respectively.
The measure launched by the Executive at the end of March limits the increase in rents that have to be reviewed before June 30 to 2%, so that it is linked to the General Competitiveness Index (IGC). But it marks two different speeds depending on whether the person who owns the property for rent is a small owner or a large holder.
The latter are defined in the decree on measures to deal with the impact of the war in Ukraine as those individuals and legal entities that own more than 10 properties or own a smaller amount but exceed 1,500 square meters of surface, excluding garages and storage rooms These large owners, be they individuals, companies or funds, will not be able to raise rents by more than 2%, until the aforementioned June 30. On the other hand, if they are small owners, they can negotiate a rise of more than 2% but, if there is no agreement between the owner and the tenant, that rise is capped at 2%, the limit set by the IGC.
Most rental contracts link their annual update to the general CPI, which is the maximum to which the rent of a home can be revised upwards and which in March reached a 40-year high, standing at 9.8%. It may also be linked to the CPI for housing rental, which is calculated by the National Institute of Statistics (INE) and which has hardly been stressed; or to the IGC itself, which is now taken as a reference and is capped at 2%.
