The Ministry of Housing and Urban Agenda (MIVAU) has activated the operational phase of direct grants of up to €30,000 per property for renovation and adaptation works. The measure, part of the State Housing Plan 2026-2030, requires the mandatory assignment of the property to public affordable rental programmes and schemes under fixed rent and term conditions.
What's Changing
The framework established by Royal Decree 326/2026, of 22 April, structures this injection of public funds through two main direct grant mechanisms:
- Combined route for assignment to a public scheme (Article 75 RD 326/2026): An initial grant of up to €12,000 is awarded to finance up to 100% of habitability, conservation, or accessibility works prior to rental. This amount is supplemented by up to an additional €18,000 at the end of the assignment period for maintenance and restoration tasks of the property, totalling a maximum of €30,000.
- Empty property renovation route: Direct grant of up to €30,000 per property (extendable up to €35,000 in municipalities of 10,000 inhabitants or less) for properties that have remained unoccupied for at least two years.
In exchange for these funds, the owner must adhere to a strict rent limit: state regulations set a general cap of €600 per month and restrict access to cohabitation units with incomes less than 6 times the IPREM. The commitment to protected tenancy is binding for a minimum of 7 years under the public scheme assignment formula, or 5 years under the previously empty property scheme.
Who Is Affected
The measure is aimed at private owners and usufructuaries who own closed-up, inherited, or properties requiring adaptation reforms, who do not wish or are unable to fund the investment themselves. It involves transferring rental management to the administration in exchange for financing the asset's readiness without an initial outlay.
To assess whether it is worthwhile compared to the free market, it is advisable to analyse the actual rental prices in the area:
Sources
Data and regulations consulted for this article.
