Law 12/2023, on the right to housing, and especially the rent control rules for primary residences, has had a clear impact on the rental market. Its application has reduced the supply of housing for long-term residence while increasing seasonal rentals, often used to bypass legal rent limits.

To address this, Decree Law 6/2024 introduced Article 66 bis into Law 18/2007. It established that seasonal leases would follow the same rules as regular housing —security deposits, rent setting and updates, and allocation of expenses— whenever they meet residential needs, such as work, studies, medical reasons, or other similar purposes.

The key factor in deciding whether a lease is temporary is its purpose, not its duration: residential use versus leisure, vacation, or recreational use. This also applies to room rentals when they are used as housing.

The Decree Law was repealed on May 23, 2024, but the Catalan Parliament later passed Law 11/2025, effective January 6, 2026, which restores and consolidates these rules. Articles 66 bis and 66 ter confirm that seasonal leases are subject to rent control under urban rental law.

Under the new law, the temporary purpose must be explicitly stated in the contract and supported with documentation, which must be filed with the security deposit. If it cannot be proven, the lease is treated as a long-term rental, with all the protection that it entails for tenants.

The law also covers extensions: if the tenant cannot prove the temporary reason or show that they reside elsewhere, the lease is treated as a standard long-term rental, applying minimum legal durations and extension rules from the original contract date. The same applies if a new lease is signed with the same tenant for the same property.

For room rentals, Article 66 ter establishes that they also follow these rules. In high-demand residential areas, the total rent from multiple leases in the same property cannot exceed the maximum allowed rent for the entire property.

In short, the new regulations strengthen oversight of seasonal and room rentals, limiting improper use and ensuring proper application of long-term housing rules.

At addwill, we are ready to review individual cases and guide you through adapting to these new regulations safely and confidently.