Walter Finch
THE cost of renting a home in Spain has spiralled 10.4% in the past year, and it is totally out of control in key cities across the country.
This surge is particularly noticeable in popular destinations like Barcelona and Malaga, where demand for rental properties remains high, according to the latest report from idealista.
Rental prices have surged in all Spanish capitals compared to July last year, with the most substantial increase in Caceres (18.9%), followed by Palma (18.7%), Valencia (17.6%), Lugo (16.6%), and Santa Cruz de Tenerife (16.5%).
Hotspots Madrid (16.1%), Barcelona (14.3%), Alicante (14.1%), and Málaga (13.6%) have all seen double digit rises in the past year, while Seville (7.8%), San Sebastián (7%) and Bilbao (6.7%) are also significantly dearer.
Bargain hunters should look at Tarragona (1.9%), which saw the smallest increase, along with Zamora (2.9%), Cádiz (3.9%), Huelva (4.1%), and Pamplona (4.3%).
Barcelona continues to be the most expensive city to rent in, with a square metre costing €21.6, followed by Madrid (€19.8) and San Sebastián (€17.6).
Next comes Palma (€17.2), Málaga (€14.5) and Valencia (€14.1).
Idealista’s real estate price index is based on offer prices per constructed square metre published by advertisers on Idealista.
The price spiral has been blamed, in part, on the number of tourist rentals which reduce the long-term housing stock.
But experts have been quick to point the finger at last year’s new housing law, which made it more difficult to evict tenants, scaring landlords out of the market.
The requirements through scanning machines at airports are ridiculous. Why take of belts and shoes? In Singapore the liquid requirement is 30mls, in London it’s 100mls. Ngurah Rai International Airport (Bali) I have to hand over a can of soda I bought after passing through security screening, but was re-screened at the gate. All the rules are arbitrary at each airport. I lost a pair of 1 cm nail scissors in Hong Kong, when they went through with no problem in Malaga and LHR. (The European requirement is scissors of 2cm) I read in the Olive Press that Spanish airports are overwhelmed and people are missing flights. This can be easily mitigated. It’s time for an overhaul of the post 9/11 paranoia airport rules; and have a unified international system for what is and isn’t acceptable in the cabin.