Hundreds of faults in state-owned apartments in Madrid, where vulnerable families live, have triggered emergency intervention by the authorities. The issue is not only about comfort, but safety: identified problems with electricity, water supply, and sanitation threaten people’s health and lives. The decision for urgent repairs was made after the contractor responsible for maintenance failed to fix 942 documented malfunctions.
According to El Pais, the affected apartments are managed by the Agencia de Vivienda Social (AVS). The internal control system Checkingplan recorded the breakdowns back in early February 2026. However, the contractor Fatecsa Obras S.A. did not fulfill its obligations despite numerous reminders and official letters. As a result, dangerous situations have arisen in the apartments: from electrical short circuits to leaks, mold, and risks of structural collapse.
Madrid authorities have allocated €2.4 million for an emergency contract with a new company, Servihogar Gestión 24 Horas S.L. The contractor now has five months to resolve all accumulated issues. Work must begin no later than five days after the contract is signed, with penalties of up to 10% of the contract amount for each week of delay. As El Pais notes, this concerns hundreds of cases where tenants and technical inspectors reported issues but received no response.
Causes and consequences
The situation is worsened by the fact that most of those affected are low-income families, elderly residents, and other socially vulnerable groups. In some apartments, serious electrical wiring issues have been discovered, creating a fire hazard. In others, water leaks have led to mold and fungi, which can cause respiratory illnesses. In certain cases, defects have been found that threaten the structural integrity of the buildings.
According to administration officials, the standard tender process would have taken months, and any delay could have led to tragic consequences. Therefore, an emergency route was chosen: among several companies, only Servihogar Gestión 24 Horas S.L. agreed to carry out the work within a compressed timeframe. Authorities have already begun the procedure to terminate the contract with the previous contractor and have prepared documents to impose penalties for failure to fulfill obligations.
The problem is not limited to just these current cases. In recent weeks, Madrid authorities have already faced the urgent need to replace dozens of defective boilers in other AVS properties. At that time, malfunctions posed risks of gas leaks and even explosions. As El Pais notes, the current crisis has affected not only heating but all main utility systems, forcing the administration to act as quickly as possible.
Response and next steps
Official representatives of the Madrid government emphasize that this is a temporary measure until a new long-term contract is approved. The government council, led by Isabel Díaz Ayuso, is expected to consider the issue of a new contractor by the end of March. Until then, all efforts will focus on addressing the most serious malfunctions.
The authorities have not specified exactly how many of the 25,000 AVS apartments are affected, but stress that hundreds of families have lived for months in conditions hazardous to their health. According to russpain.com, similar cases of prolonged repairs in social housing have repeatedly sparked public concern in Spain.
In the context of tighter control over public spending and contractor transparency, the situation in Madrid recalls recent initiatives to limit the influence of government advertising on the media, as covered in the article about new rules for media and the state budget. Both cases highlight the importance of timely action and oversight in the execution of public contracts in the social sector.
Context and similar cases
In recent years, Spain has repeatedly faced issues in the field of social housing. In 2024, Valencia and Barcelona also saw numerous complaints about prolonged repairs and unsafe living conditions in municipal apartments. At that time, local authorities were forced to introduce additional inspections and tighten requirements for contractors. In Malaga, a similar situation in 2025 led to the temporary evacuation of residents due to the risk of structural collapse. These cases show that the problem requires a systematic approach and ongoing oversight of the quality of public housing maintenance.
