Francisco Iñareta, spokesperson for idealista, said: “the current rental situation in Spain is alarming and requires immediate solutions. To urgently put an end to this drain on supply that is driving up prices, we have to see landlords as the solution and not the problem.

“Years of restrictive policies have caused them to withdraw from the market, as well as that of potential investors. We must immediately take measures to make the relationship between the parties more flexible and balanced and provide the owner with greater legal certainty. Only in this way can we rapidly increase the rental housing stock.”

Palma is the capital where rent has grown the most in one year: 18.9%. In the rest of the major markets, prices have increased in one year, followed by Madrid (15.7%), Valencia (15.4%), Alicante (13.9%), Malaga (13.2%) and Barcelona (12.1%), while the most moderate increases have occurred in Bilbao (5.9%), Seville (6.5%) and San Sebastian (6.9%). The lowest increase in Spain occurred in Lleida, with a growth of only 3.8%.

Barcelona is the most expensive capital to rent a home, at 22.4 euros/m2, followed by Madrid (20.4 euros/m2) and San Sebastián (18.1 euros/m2). In fourth place is Palma (17.3 euros/m2) and in fifth place is Málaga (14.5 euros/m2). At the bottom of the table we find Ciudad Real (6.6 euros/m2), Zamora (6.7 euros/m2), Cáceres (6.9 euros/m2), Ourense and Lugo (7 euros/m2 in both cases). 28 of the 51 Spanish capitals analysed have set maximum prices this quarter.