What should we define what is an empty apartment?

The left-wing Galician coalition En Marea has been responsible for taking the initiative at the Congress where the Treasury's Committee with the support of the PSOE, ERC, PDeCAT and Commitment has already approved it.

Nowadays, it is possible to punish the owner with empty properties with an IBI surcharge of up to 50%. Unfortunately, the effective application of this surcharge has been stopped from all Autonomous Communities 'municipalities that did not have defined yet what was an empty apartment.

For this reason, the initiative to clearly define what is an empty apartment has reached the Government, proposing to consider that an empty apartment is anyone who remains unoccupied continuously for more than a year or 22 months in the period of 2 years. In these apartments they suggest to increase the IBI to 50% minimum and 75% maximum.

It is also intended to include exceptions in cases where the owner can justify non-occupancy of the apartment due to work, family reconciliation, health, dependency, social emergency and provide the necessary tests established by the corresponding municipal Ordinance.

The intention of En Marea is to develop municipal ordinances with a fairer and more equitable IBI. Likewise, the initiative proposes to modify the law to include a bonus of up to 90% of the IBI quota to all owners who prove an unfavorable economic situation or insufficient family income.