Andorra PM Espot Denies Eviction Fears in Rental Law Reforms Video

Andorra's head of government, Xavier Espot, sought to dispel concerns over rental law reforms in a social media video released on Wednesday, denying claims of indiscriminate market liberalisation or inadequate tenant protections ahead of a planned housing union protest.

The changes, set for 1 January 2027, will allow termination only of contracts signed in 2012 or earlier, or those with rents below €6 per square metre, Espot explained. Other agreements will continue to renew automatically by law, rendering any contrary termination notices legally invalid. Owners ending eligible leases must provide six months' notice to give tenants relocation time. For renewals—with the same or new occupants—rent increases will cap at 1-6% annually, plus adjustments tied to the IPC inflation index.

Espot framed the reforms as a gradual, safeguarded return to market normality after years of mandatory extensions, which he said were essential but unsustainable indefinitely. He dismissed recent speculation as partly inaccurate, predicting most landlords would retain existing tenants given the ongoing safeguards. The rules, he added, neither fully deregulate the market nor permit unlimited hikes in new contracts, aiming instead for legal certainty and stability.

The video comes days before a demonstration by the Housing Union, which has labelled the reforms a "programmed eviction law." Espot stressed that recent public discourse included untruths about the law's scope.

Marta Alberch, director of the National Housing Institute, separately addressed gaps in room rental regulations, where tenants often lack individual contracts—particularly when owners rent rooms directly. On RTVA's *Avui serà un bon dia*, she called for future regulation to balance both parties' interests, noting the practice remains legal yet unprotected.

Alberch advised tenants receiving notices to hold off on new agreements until 2027, consult the institute for case reviews, and ensure contracts detail usage, costs, terms, and shared areas.