City council offers cheap flats for rent

THE Palma city council has flats to rent at a rental which is between 20 and 33 per cent lower than the market place under its Palma Habitada programme, a spokesman said. It made the announcement of the signing of its 300th rental contract since the scheme was started on June 22, 2004.
Under the scheme, flat owners wanting to let the property contact the council, which finds a tenant and guarantees the rent, which is lower than that of the market place. Under the conditions of the scheme, the rent cannot exceed 660 euros a month.
Just over half the tenants are Spanish, the others are foreigners, mainly from non-European Union countries.
Most of them are in the 26 to 40 age group.
The city council introduced the scheme because of the acute housing problem in Palma, despite the fact that there is a large number of empty flats.
Because of the high standard of living, and the high cost of housing (see story below), many people are unable to find affordable accommodation.