Almost a thousand unrepaired faults in public flats put Madrid on alert

The deterioration of many public homes in Madrid is beginning to be felt in the daily lives of the people who live in them. The accumulation of unresolved faults, some posing an immediate risk to health and safety, has forced the Community to activate an emergency contract worth €2.4 million. The aim: to repair 942 incidents that have been pending for months in flats managed by the Social Housing Agency (AVS), home primarily to vulnerable groups.

The company Servihogar Gestión 24 Horas S.L. will be responsible for carrying out the work over the next five months, after inheriting the problem from the previous contractor, Fatecsa Obras S.A., which left hundreds of reports unattended. According to official documentation, the damage ranges from electrical problems and water leaks to damp, mould and structural risks. All this, according to the Administration, constitutes a “severe deterioration in habitability” and may lead to respiratory conditions or health problems caused by pests and serious deficiencies.

The regional government acknowledges that the situation affects an undetermined portion of the AVS's 25,000 homes. A spokesperson explains that proceedings have begun to sanction the company responsible and terminate the contract, pending the Governing Council's approval of the final change. Meanwhile, every day without a solution worsens the deterioration of the buildings and the discomfort of tenants.

The administrative file details that the company repeatedly failed to meet its obligations, despite verbal notices, emails, meetings and a formal letter sent in December 2025. The lack of response led the AVS to activate the emergency route, since an ordinary tender would have meant months of waiting. Servihogar was the only company to guarantee immediate availability to take on the volume of repairs, with an obligation to start within a maximum of five days and finish within five months, under threat of penalties for delays.

The problem is not new. A few weeks ago, the Community already had to intervene urgently to replace 80 boilers in public flats, owing to the risk of gas leaks or poisoning. Now, the scope is greater: the task is to repair electrical installations, plumbing, locksmithing and masonry in nearly a thousand homes, many of them in neighbourhoods where everyday life depends on the basics working.

The Social Housing Agency manages one of the city's largest residential housing stocks, with a presence in very diverse districts. Its work is key to guaranteeing decent conditions for those who need them most, especially in times of crisis or when services fail. The response to emergencies such as this one makes a difference to the perception of safety and wellbeing in neighbourhoods, and largely determines Madrid's social pulse.