Catalan Government Extends Tense Housing Zones, Adds Three Alt Urgell Towns Amid Rent Surge
Rising rents driven by Andorra pressures prompt the addition of Montferrer i Castellbò and Ribera d'Urgellet to Catalonia's tense housing zones. Regulations limit new rentals to recent prices, affecting nearly 73% of residents amid affordability crisis.
Key Points
- Catalonia's ZMRT zones extended for another year, now covering 302 municipalities up from 271.
- New additions include Montferrer i Castellbò, Ribera d'Urgellet, and existing La Seu d'Urgell in Alt Urgell.
- Rents in Montferrer rose to 826.67 euros in 2025; rules cap new contracts to recent adjusted prices.
- Impacts 6.1 million people (72.9% of population); 22 zones removed after improvements.
The Catalan government has prolonged its designation of tense residential market zones (ZMRT) for another year, incorporating Montferrer i Castellbò and Ribera d'Urgellet in Alt Urgell alongside the existing La Seu d'Urgell, as housing affordability issues intensify due to rising rents and limited supply.
The updated list now covers 302 municipalities across Catalonia, up from 271, following an annual review of housing market trends. This includes 53 new additions, among them the three Alt Urgell towns, which meet criteria for excessive housing cost burdens—where households allocate over 30% of income to rent, mortgages or utilities—or where prices outpace the consumer price index by at least three points.
The extension addresses access difficulties exacerbated by Andorra-related pressures. In Montferrer i Castellbò, average rents climbed to 826.67 euros in 2025 from 676.92 euros the prior year and about 675 euros in 2023, having last dipped below 600 euros in 2021 at 543.75 euros. Ribera d'Urgellet experienced a minor decline to 643.76 euros last year from 653.67 euros, after surging from 487 euros in 2022 to 654.58 euros in 2023. La Seu d'Urgell showed relative stability, with first-quarter 2026 rents at 558.13 euros, near 569.70 euros a year before and 566.69 euros in 2024 according to INCASOL figures; they were last below 500 euros in 2022 at 472.61 euros.
ZMRT rules limit new rental contracts to the most recent valid agreement from the past five years, adjusted annually. Large property holders—those with five or more urban assets—must adhere to the official rental price reference index.
Catalonia-wide, 118 prior zones remain active, affecting 5.92 million residents or 72.9% of the population. Meanwhile, 22 municipalities—including Lleida, Cervera and Guissona—have been removed after improvements, covering 634,171 people. The total impacted population has fallen from seven million to 6.1 million, despite the increased municipality count.
Related Articles
Other articles from Catalan-language sources about the same story: