Call for Tenants Considering Leaving Andorra Because They Can No Longer Afford Housing

The Andorran Housing Union (Sindicat d’Habitatge d’Andorra) has called on individuals and families facing housing insecurity to contact the organisation and come together to address their situation collectively.

The appeal follows several cases that have emerged in recent days involving tenants who, after living in the same property for years, are being required to leave their homes and say they cannot find an affordable alternative in the current rental market.

In a statement, the Housing Union argues that these situations should not be viewed solely as individual cases. It says a growing proportion of working people are facing unaffordable prices, potential abuses or a lack of affordable housing alternatives.

According to the organisation, the situation could force some of those affected to temporarily move in with relatives or friends, look for housing outside Andorra or even consider leaving the country permanently after having worked and built their lives there.

The Housing Union also stresses that these situations do not always involve abusive or unlawful conduct by property owners. A landlord may legally and legitimately recover possession of a property while, at the same time, exposing what the organisation considers a broader structural problem in Andorra’s housing market.

“Losing a home can mean being automatically excluded from a market that people can no longer afford to re-enter,” the Housing Union warned.

Calls for Measures Beyond Rental Contract Extensions

Against this backdrop, the organisation insists that housing policies should not be limited to extending existing rental contracts. The Housing Union is calling for legislation to regulate the market and ensure that access to housing is more closely linked to workers’ purchasing power.

The objective, it argues, should be to prevent families from having to spend a disproportionate share of their income on housing, something the organisation considers incompatible with decent living conditions.

The appeal comes as some tenants have begun receiving notices concerning the expiry of rental contracts that are not protected by the extensions currently in force, creating uncertainty over whether they will be able to continue living in Andorra given current market prices.

“From Individual Cases to a Collective Response”

The Housing Union acknowledges, however, that it does not have its own housing stock and cannot guarantee a new home to every person facing this situation.

“It would be irresponsible to promise a solution that is currently beyond our means,” the organisation said. Instead, it is offering to listen to, advise and support those affected, while putting them in contact with other people experiencing similar problems.

The organisation believes that bringing these cases together will make it possible to identify common problems, detect potential abuses, share information and build collective responses.

For this reason, the Housing Union is encouraging people to contact the organisation if they are being required to leave their homes, live in buildings that have changed ownership, cannot afford the conditions of a new rental agreement or are considering leaving Andorra because they cannot find an affordable housing alternative.