A 40dB survey for EL PAÍS and Cadena SER found that 67.5% of Spaniards support rental restrictions, even if landlords' profits fall. Congress is due to vote on the measures this Friday, with majority support across party lines.
Support peaks among Sumar voters, at 95.8%. Podemos voters register 85.4%, while the figure for PSOE voters is 82.6%. The proposal also wins majority support among PP voters, at 56.5%, and Vox voters, at 55.2%. One measure would cap rent increases at 2% through 31 December 2027 if landlords and tenants do not reach another agreement, the BOE says.
The divide is narrower than Spain's political labels suggest.
Several individual measures win support from between 70% and 75% of respondents. One would delay evictions for vulnerable people. Others would regulate rental prices and set annual caps. All are part of the text scheduled for a vote this Friday. The government calls the package an urgent response to the housing crisis. Moncloa says it would also strengthen the stability of primary-home rental contracts.
The survey points to support for more than one measure. Respondents back direct limits on rents and policies that could increase the supply of affordable homes. Some 82.4% support adding to the stock of social housing. Another 79.7% favour tax advantages for small landlords offering affordable rents.
The package also targets short-term and seasonal rentals. It includes room rentals, with reported rules stating that the combined price charged for separate rooms should not exceed the rent for the apartment as a whole. That would limit a possible way to bypass restrictions by dividing a property into rooms. The BOE identifies these rules as part of the package.
The package brings together two approaches often treated as opposites. People back rent limits alongside more social housing and incentives for smaller property owners. The figures point to demand for lower prices and wider access to housing.
Housing has climbed sharply up the public agenda. It is now the second-biggest concern after inflation. In 2023, it ranked fourth.
The political divide is clearer when voters name the issue they want policymakers to address first. PSOE voters put housing at the top. The same is true for Sumar and Podemos voters. PP and Vox voters rank it below immigration.
The concern is shared.
Congress is preparing to vote on two housing decrees this Friday. An earlier housing report detailed the parliamentary timetable and the eviction issue. The survey adds public opinion to that political dispute. The first set of measures entered into force on 1 October 2026. The government sought urgent parliamentary approval for the second decree on 2 October.
The package covers more than annual rent limits. It would also draw a clearer legal line between ordinary housing leases and short-term or temporary arrangements. Protections for vulnerable tenants would be extended.
Reuters reported that eviction protection for vulnerable residents was due to run until 2030. Junts opposed the decree, warning that it could reduce rental supply and push prices higher.
For tenants, rent levels and protection from eviction have become major concerns in the survey. Small landlords could face restrictions, but may also receive tax advantages if they keep rents affordable. The figures show majority support for housing action among the basic voter blocs.
Left-wing voters offer the strongest backing for limits. Among PP and Vox voters, support exceeds 55%, making the issue more than a purely ideological demand. Friday's vote will test whether the measures match the preferences recorded in the survey.
