7% of tenants are late with their rent payment, but end up paying it in the next 30 days, during what we commonly know as “amicable collection.” Only 1% remain delinquent beyond that period, against which pertinent legal actions could be initiated.
The data, corresponding to the last months of 2023, come from the report published by the comprehensive rental management platform Housfy Rental, which manages at least 5,000 leased properties throughout the State.
These figures may not be comparable to those of other real estate agencies, since Housfy rigorously manages all payments with a direct debit system for rents, which also includes guaranteed collection each month.
And, in fact, another study published during the same period shows that late payments throughout the market affected 14% of landlords, and that another 8% experienced delays in rent payments.
It is signed by the OCU and the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, and the conclusions are drawn from a survey of 437 individual landlords.
The study concludes that only 2% of landlords encountered the problem that the tenant refused to leave the home at the end of the contract or when they needed it for themselves or their family members.
From the same report it is extracted that, very often, perceptions do not correspond to reality. While there are agencies with delinquency rates as low as 1%, non-payment would be the biggest fear of landlords, with more than 76% of them concerned about it.
44% also fear that they will not be able to recover the house in a reasonable time if the tenant does not pay.
The specialists consulted have perceived a positive correlation between homes delivered by the owner in poor condition and the subsequent delinquency of tenants.
Conclusions could be drawn that take into account the socioeconomic status of the profiles that rent more worn-out homes. More often it happens, however, that tenants choose to default as a reaction to continuous negligence in the maintenance of the property by their landlord.
The head of operations at Housfy Rental, Oriol Payà i Majó, emphasizes the importance of delivering the home in good habitable conditions and carrying out the necessary repairs to keep it in that state. It is the way to strengthen a friendly relationship between both parties and, therefore, prevent late payments.
The OCU estimates that 11% of landlords have had to go to court to claim rents owed, above all, or damages suffered, to a lesser extent. The problem comes when “the owners who rent on their own are unaware of the processes in case of non-payment or do not have the resources to carry them out,” in the words of Oriol Payà i Majó.
When irregularities are detected, the first step is to claim the amount directly from the tenant, provide them with facilities to make payment and thus openly try to find a solution to the problem.
If the situation is not resolved in the first 30 days, an extrajudicial claim could be filed at the same time and the judicial eviction procedure could begin. According to the OCU, the average number of months that elapsed between the claim and the eviction was 13 months.
