[ggpsv]

That is how it actually works in Spain. You must present the contract when you legally register as a citizen in the city's town hall.

That doesn't stop people from circumventing this requirement, on either side of the contract.

[giantg2]

Thanks for that info! So why is this such a big problem? Is it just that the government doesn't want to trust it's own records? If people are bypassing the law, I would think it reasonable to allow the consequences to transpire - eg evicted if you don't have a written contract.

[ggpsv]

As mentioned in other comments by Spaniards weighing in, it's not really a big problem as in that's happening all the time. It is a multi-faceted issue, and for some, a philosophical standpoint stemming from the economic crisis, gentrification and speculation, and related problems.

Take in mind that the post shared here is written by a company that provides listing services.

Housing is more of a right in Spain than in other countries, and at least in Catalonia, there is precedent that it supersedes property rights.

[giantg2]

Ah, I see. The article was claiming it was "surging", but I guess it's hyperbolic advertising.

[ggpsv]

You'll understand the inevitable tension on policing this issue considering that a couple of years ago Spain passed a law that made access to adequate and dignified housing a constitutional right.

[prmoustache]

You are saying that as if it is never the owner's fault.

If your revenue is not enough to pay for an housing under regular contract but a shaddy owner allows you to pay a rent for the place so that he can bypass a number of regulations by pretending he has no tenants, would you choose living in the street or a car or would you accept it, hoping it is a temporary situation?

Most people would choose the later hence the way the laws are written. Landowners are usually the wealthy ones, so the less at risk of suffering.

[giantg2]

There needs to be penalties on the landowner side too. The paper requirement should carry penalties enforced against them if they are violating it. This would be better than just a chance of pain from the eviction process. After all, if they are shady landlords they might push people out in other ways to avoid the eviction process currently anyways.

[diggan]

If you read through the article, it becomes a bit clearer exactly why it still happens.

[giantg2]

I saw some of the different factors in the article but none of them seemed to really address the lack of checking a registered source of data for the leases and why they wouldn't be a good idea.