The Spanish rent cap: 2%, the freeze and the IRAV ceiling
Tick whether your rent is above the reference price index: the tool applies the ceiling that fits your anniversary date.
Spanish residential rent increases currently face three ceilings, applied one after the other. The permanent one is in article 18 of the Urban Leases Act: for leases signed on or after 26 May 2023, the annual update can never exceed the IRAV index for the reference month (2.54% for September 2026). The other two are temporary and come from the sixth final provision of Royal Decree-law 29/2026, published in the official gazette (BOE) on 7 October 2026 and in force since 8 October. For any annual update falling due between that date and 31 December 2027, a rent that is above the maximum price under the state reference price index system gets no increase at all. In every other case, the increase is whatever landlord and tenant newly agree and, without such an agreement, it cannot exceed 2%. A royal decree-law applies at once but must be confirmed by Congress. The BOE consolidated text showed no repeal on 24 October 2026; an identical earlier decree-law, 26/2026, was repealed on 2 October 2026.
Rent from November 2026
€969.00
+€19.00 a month · +€228.00 a year
| Reference month | September 2026 |
| General CPI, annual change | 4.9% |
| IRAV, annual change | 2.54% |
| Increase applied | 2.00% |
| New rent | €969.00 |
Assumptions
INE indices. Royal Decree-law 29/2026 has applied since 8 October 2026 and still needs to be confirmed by Congress: if it is repealed, its 2% cap stops applying. Leases signed before 26 May 2023 keep the index they agreed. Method and sources
Checked by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · Method and sources
Three periods
| Anniversary | Ceiling on the increase |
|---|---|
| Up to 7 October 2026 | Lease index; IRAV ceiling for leases from 26 May 2023 |
| 8 October 2026 to 31 December 2027 | Plus: no increase above the reference price; otherwise new agreement or 2% at most |
| From 1 January 2028 | Article 18 rules only, unless a new law says otherwise |
Example
A lease signed in November 2023 with a CPI clause and a rent of €1,400 has its anniversary on 1 November 2026. Reference month: September 2026, CPI 4.9%, IRAV 2.54%. If the rent is within the reference price and there is no new agreement, the increase is 2.00%: the new rent is €1,428.00. If the rent is above the reference price, it stays at €1,400.00.
What the cap does not do
It does not create an update where the lease has none, it does not make 2% compulsory, and it does not apply to shops or offices. The notice rule still applies: the updated rent is payable from the month after a written notice stating the percentage. For the general method, see the annual rent update in Spain; for the index values, the IRAV series.