Affordable rent in the Canary Islands: social housing and aid
Ubuntu Canarias · 4 min read
Finding a home with a rent you can afford is one of the hardest problems in the Canary Islands today. There are some public options worth knowing about: the register you must join to apply for protected (social) housing, and rental aid such as the Bono Alquiler Joven. They will not solve the problem overnight, but it is better to be in than out.
1. Register of Applicants for Protected Housing in the Canary Islands
It is a public register, free of charge and the same for all the Canary Islands, run by the Instituto Canario de la Vivienda (Canary Islands Housing Institute). To be able to apply for protected housing, to buy or to rent, you first have to be registered. It is governed by Decree 23/2026 of 9 March.
Important: registering does not mean you will be given a home. It allows you to take part in the allocation processes that are opened, and each housing development has its own conditions.
Main requirements
- Age: be an adult or an emancipated minor.
- Residence: live in a municipality of the Canary Islands and prove at least four years of uninterrupted residence.
- Income: the net income of the household must not exceed 5 times the IPREM (a Spanish reference income index). The limit rises to 6 times the IPREM for large families and some disability situations.
- No home of your own: nobody in the household can own a home or have a right to use one. There are exceptions, for example an inherited share of up to 50%, a separation or divorce, a home in ruins or one that is not accessible because of a disability.
- Assets: they cannot exceed the reference price of a 68 m² protected home in the island's capital.
The four years of residence leave out many people who have only recently arrived in the Canary Islands. If that is your case, keep it in mind for the future and start keeping your registration certificates (certificados de empadronamiento) now.
How to apply
- Online, on the Canary Islands Government's online office, with a digital certificate or Cl@ve: online registration form.
- In person, at the Instituto Canario de la Vivienda office in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (calle Murga, 61). Appointments can only be booked by calling 012.
The official page has the application form, the form to add the people you live with and a guide to filling them in (in Spanish): registration application.
2. Bono Alquiler Joven 2026 (young people's rent aid)
This is help to pay the rent for young people. The deadline to apply is 8 October 2026.
- Who for: people aged 18 to 35 who rent, or have a right-of-use contract, in the Canary Islands.
- How much: 250 euros a month, for up to two years, never more than the rent itself.
- Maximum rent: 900 euros a month for a home and 450 euros for a room.
- Income: up to 3 times the IPREM, with higher limits for large families and people with disabilities. You must have at least one regular source of income.
- Nationality: people from outside the European Union need legal residence in Spain.
It is best to apply online: Bono Alquiler Joven on the online office.
3. Ask at your town council too
Many town councils have their own programmes, emergency aid or calls related to rent. Municipal social services can tell you what is available where you live and help you if your situation is urgent.
Before you apply, check
- Your income and that of the people you live with.
- Your registration at the town hall (padrón) and how long you have lived in the Canary Islands.
- That nobody in your household owns another home.
- What kind of housing or aid you are applying for: rent, purchase, a whole home or a room.
- The dates of each call: some are only open for a few weeks.
If you have questions about your case or find it hard to gather the documents, write to us.
Ubuntu Canarias rooms and rentals channel
On our WhatsApp channel we share ads for rooms and homes for rent in Gran Canaria. Ubuntu Canarias does not rent or act as an intermediary: we only share the ads.
To avoid scams: do not pay any deposit or advance without having seen the home and met the person renting it, and always ask for a contract or receipt.
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Information checked on 6 October 2026 on the official Canary Islands Government websites. Requirements may change: always check the official information before applying.