The deadline for offers on the Madrid government’s luxury penthouse in Chamberí passed at midnight on September 7. Officials have not said whether the property has a new owner or whether the auction drew any bids. The regional administration’s only official statement is that results will be announced "when appropriate," information from several Spanish media outlets.
Located at Paseo General Martínez Campos 35, the penthouse has drawn criticism over the administration’s lack of transparency around its purchase and sale. The starting price was set at 6,694,201 euros, almost 400,000 euros more than the government paid in April. For a month, the private platform Diario de Subastas displayed a countdown and a polished photo of the apartment, but did not allow visits. Buyers had to accept the property "as is," with no guarantee about its size or condition, and pay a deposit of 334,710.05 euros to participate. El Mundo reports that taxes will also push up the final price.
The government published a detailed description of the penthouse only after public criticism surged. The listing gave its area as 481 to 485 m² and noted a terrace of nearly 100 m², two parking spaces, a storage room and a private space.
The process is not over. Under the contract, the next step is for a six-member Contracting Board, made up mostly of Planifica Madrid technicians and one representative from the Presidency, to open the sealed bids next Wednesday at 13:00. Participants will have three business days to correct any errors. If two or more offers tie at the highest price, only those bidders may submit improved proposals within five days. If the tie remains, the earliest second offer wins. Cadena SER reports that the press and opposition parties have questioned this tiebreaker rule.
The board will then propose a winner, who must prove their financial and legal standing within five business days. They will have an additional three days to resolve any paperwork issues. The Contracting Authority can formally award the sale only after that, and the process could take up to ten more business days. The final result will eventually appear on the Madrid regional procurement portal, but no timeline has been set. If no valid bids were received, the auction would be void, but authorities have not clarified the outcome.
The government’s decision to upload basic documents just hours before bidding closed suggests that at least one valid offer was received. Meanwhile, regional minister of the Presidency Miguel Ángel García is scheduled to address the Assembly on Thursday to explain the penthouse sale. Opposition parties have demanded full disclosure of the purchase file, which remains unpublished.
The Madrid government has said proceeds from the penthouse sale will fund restoration work in Sierra Oeste after recent forest fires. It has also announced plans to sell four more apartments for approximately 20 to 22 million euros in total.
The Chamberí penthouse is not the only property for sale. The administration is also selling a unit at Gran Vía 6 under different rules: if no buyer comes forward, the offer period there becomes indefinite. Planifica Madrid, the public entity managing these assets, owns about ten properties, including historic buildings used by government departments and the former home of poet Vicente Aleixandre, which is set to become a poetry center.
Throughout the process, the government has kept information tightly controlled and declined to say who authorized the original purchase or why. The lack of transparency has fueled political tension, with opposition group Más Madrid demanding access to all supporting documents under Assembly rules. The controversy echoes other high-profile Spanish property and political disputes, as seen in recent coverage. Cadena SER and El Mundo report that the purchase and sale of the penthouse are already under criminal investigation following complaints from Iustitia Europa, PSOE and the Madrid prosecutor's office. Más Madrid is seeking to join as a popular prosecutor.
Madrid’s handling of the sale reflects a pattern of bureaucratic maneuvering and selective disclosure that has eroded public trust. By blocking visits and delaying basic information while imposing "buyer beware" terms, the administration has prioritized control over transparency. Until the government releases the full details of the transaction and explains the original purchase, the Chamberí penthouse will remain a symbol of official secrecy and political calculation.
