What is the reference rent index and where can I look it up?

It is the state system of reference rent indices for residential lettings, which gives each flat a rent range according to where it is and what it is like. It is used mainly to set the maximum rent under a new tenancy in a stressed residential market area (“zona tensionada”) when the owner is a large-scale landlord (“gran tenedor”) and, in Catalonia, also when the flat has not been let in the previous five years. It can be consulted on the website of the “Ministerio de Vivienda y Agenda Urbana”, Spain's Ministry of Housing and Urban Agenda, using the address or the cadastral reference of the property. It should not be confused with the IRAV, the index published by the “INE”, Spain's national statistics institute, that caps the annual increase under tenancies already in force.

Alburquerque Abogados

José Manuel Alburquerque
Landlord and tenant

What it is used for

  • In a stressed residential market area, it sets the maximum rent under a new tenancy if the owner is a large-scale landlord. In Catalonia it also sets it, whoever the owner is, if the flat has not had any residential tenancy in the previous five years.
  • From 8 October 2026 until 31 December 2027, if the rent under a residential tenancy in force is above the maximum given by the index, the annual increase cannot be applied to it. This applies throughout Spain, whether or not the flat is in a stressed residential market area.
  • Adverts for flats to let must state the reference rent index. In Catalonia, the document certifying the price resulting from the search must also be attached to the tenancy agreement.

How to look it up

The search is done on the website of the “Sistema Estatal de Referencia del Precio del Alquiler de Vivienda”, the state reference rent system, serpavi.mivau.gob.es. The property is looked up by its address or its cadastral reference, which appears in the title deed and on the bill for the IBI, the local property tax. The result takes into account the location and the characteristics of the home and of the building. The limit is the maximum value the system gives for that flat. In Catalonia this state index applies. It is advisable to keep the result of the search with its date, because it is proof of the maximum rent that was complied with.

It is not the same as the IRAV or the previous rent

In practice, three different benchmarks get confused:

  • The reference rent index, from the Ministry of Housing, which limits the initial rent under a new tenancy in a stressed residential market area.
  • The IRAV, which the INE publishes every month and which caps the annual increase under a tenancy in force. The figure for September 2026, published on 14 October, is 2,54 %, which is the maximum percentage by which the rent can rise under a tenancy updated using that figure. In addition, until 31 December 2027 the increase cannot exceed 2 % unless otherwise agreed.
  • The previous rent, which in a stressed residential market area prevents a new tenant from being charged more than the last tenant paid in the previous five years, as updated.

This answer is provided for educational purposes and offers initial guidance on the question raised. Every matter has its own circumstances and nuances that require individual assessment. For that reason, before taking decisions with significant consequences, it is advisable to consult a professional and not to rely solely on this information. Personalised advice makes it possible to apply these explanations to the specific case and to assess the options available with greater certainty.