Government brings in mediation measures before evictions

As of this Monday, the Catalan government will force large-scale property owners to go through a mediation process before filing for an eviction.

The new mechanism is included in the new Spanish housing law which has recently come into force. 

Catalonia's territory minister, Ester Capella, told the newspaper El Periódico that 87 offices will be activated "to guarantee that no one has to leave their homes," but rather "look for mechanisms to avoid evictions." 

The minister added that the Catalan executive has worked at putting "all procedures" in place to begin this mechanism once the Spain-wide housing law came into effect.

Last week, the Catalan administration announced that it is to put forward its own new housing law to regulate seasonal rentals, those lasting between one and eleven months. 

As these rental contracts are for less than one year, they fall outside the annual rent cap that was introduced by the Spanish government in April and came into effect at the end of May.  

The proposed legislation "will prevent the application of the [Spanish] law from being sidestepped," Capella said.