A 40dB survey shows strong support for rental caps and eviction delays. Backing extends beyond left-wing voters as housing rises to Spain's second biggest concern.
A 40dB survey for EL PAÍS and Cadena SER found that 67.5% of Spaniards support rental restrictions, even if landlords lose profitability. Congress is due to vote on the measures this Friday. The numbers show majority backing across party lines.
Support is highest among Sumar voters at 95.8%. Podemos voters follow at 85.4%, with PSOE voters at 82.6%. The proposal also wins majority support among PP voters at 56.5% and Vox voters at 55.2%.
One of the new measures would cap rent increases at 2% through 31 December 2027 when landlords and tenants do not reach another agreement.
The split is narrower than Spain's political labels suggest.
Several individual measures win support from between 70% and 75% of respondents. They include delaying evictions for vulnerable people, regulating rental prices and setting annual caps. All three 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 does not point to support for one measure alone. 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 who offer affordable rents.
The package also targets short-term, seasonal and room rentals. Under the reported rules, the combined price charged for separate rooms should not exceed the rent for the apartment as a whole, limiting a possible way to bypass the restrictions by dividing a property into rooms.
That mix brings together two approaches often treated as opposites. People support rent limits while also backing more social housing and incentives for smaller property owners. The figures show demand for lower prices and wider access to housing.
Housing has moved 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, Sumar and Podemos voters put housing at the top. 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 create 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. The party warned 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 when they keep rents affordable. The figures show majority support for housing action among the main voter blocs.
Left-wing voters offer the strongest backing for limits. Support above 55% among PP and Vox voters means the issue cannot be reduced to a purely ideological demand. Friday's vote will test whether the measures match the preferences recorded in the survey.
