What began in 2015 as a simple Facebook group to help university students find a room has grown into a platform that’s transforming the way people share housing. De Piso en Piso not only makes it easier for young people—mainly university students—to rent rooms, it also enables older adults to offer accommodation in search of companionship or extra income. At the same time, young people in vulnerable situations can find a home where they can integrate and live safely. In this interview, Víctor Domínguez, CEO and co-founder, explains how the business model has evolved, the challenges in the rental market, and future projects.
From your beginnings to now, has the business model changed? What is your current value proposition based on?
The business model went through several iterations before reaching the current system, which is the most sustainable and profitable. Between 2015 and 2017 we worked with real estate agencies: we charged them a fixed percentage to publish their entire flats in our Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp groups. The model worked so well that each listed flat was rented in under six hours.
In 2017 we took a step further and launched the depisoenpiso.com portal. The initial model was similar to Airbnb: users could post spare rooms and, to book, interested parties had to pay one month’s rent in advance plus a 15% commission. Only after payment were contact details shared. However, the system didn’t work as expected: while Airbnb stays last a few days, in our case the average stay was 12 months. Users wanted to see the property and meet the person they’d be living with before committing financially.
In 2018 we adopted a freemium/premium model, which remains in place today. Posting and contacting are free and unlimited, but we offer paid options to highlight listings and increase visibility, both for those offering accommodation and those seeking it. The system covers technical costs but doesn’t generate enough margin for economic growth.
Finally, in 2019 we entered a new phase as a real estate agency specialized in room-by-room rentals. Our current model consists of charging the owner a recurring monthly fee in exchange for managing everything related to the leases: tax and legal advice, getting the property ready, promotion, tenant selection, viewings (in person or online), and resolving issues, both technical and related to co-living.
Thanks to having our own portal and an active social media community, we can give maximum visibility to the rooms we manage, minimizing vacancy time. This way, the owner optimizes income and the tenant gains access to fair prices in a safe environment.
What figures are you handling today—number of transactions to date, rooms currently available, and your tenant and landlord base?
We currently manage 345 rooms directly, spread across 115 flats and two small student residences. At the time of answering, only 13 rooms are available, which implies an occupancy rate close to 96%.
Over the years, more than 17,000 room listings have been published on our website and around 300,000 contact requests have been generated.
“Many landlords who used to offer five-year contracts have stopped doing so.”
Let’s talk in more detail about the concept of “inclusive co-living.” How and why did this idea arise, and how has it developed?
As our portal grew, we found that not only young people and students were getting in touch with us, but also people in vulnerable situations. Among them are families seeking companionship for their elderly parents by offering a room, and young people who, upon leaving care at 18, even with a job and a desire to integrate, cannot secure housing due to their circumstances.
These cases account for a small share of our activity—most users are university students who want to live with other students—but when they arise, we give them special attention to help them find a place where they fit.
Today we actively collaborate with city councils, universities, and social organizations in Girona and Barcelona to address these needs.
That said, it’s important to be realistic: not everyone at risk is ready to share housing. Some, due to traumatic experiences, need other kinds of support before they can live in shared accommodation.
Could you share a “success story” from this line of work?
Among the many success stories we’ve seen, one of the most representative is that of a retired couple who, despite owning their home, struggled to make ends meet due to an insufficient pension.
They decided to try renting two rooms to students. The experience was so positive—both financially and in terms of co-living—that they soon adapted the house to offer a third room. Since 2019 they’ve maintained this model: each summer, when one student finishes their studies, another takes their place.
The relationship with tenants goes beyond the financial. On weekends, the couple often invite the students to share a paella, and they also attend the city’s cultural activities together.
Thanks to this living arrangement, the couple not only comfortably make it to the end of the month, but also enjoy companionship and a rich, engaging daily environment.
“If laws that restrict rentals keep being approved, many Spanish cities will show minimal supply against overwhelming demand.”
Tensions in the rental market have become a political issue and one of the biggest problems for citizens in many cities. As experts, how do you think this debate should be addressed?
The problem is clear: demand far exceeds supply, and it’s a multifactorial situation that requires diverse, complementary solutions. It’s difficult to predict which measures will be most effective, but we do know which one hasn’t been: the current Law 12/2023, of May 24, on the right to housing. This regulation has seriously affected the traditional rental market.
Many landlords who previously offered five-year contracts have stopped doing so. Instead, they’ve opted for temporary or room rentals because, with prices set by the Ministry, it’s not viable for them to assume the costs and risks.
Let’s not kid ourselves: banning temporary and room rentals, as proposed by the Government of Catalonia (Govern de Catalunya), will not make landlords return to the traditional model. The most likely consequence is that many will sell their properties, further reducing the available supply.
What does the long-term future of residential renting in Spain look like?
If laws that restrict rather than promote renting continue to pass, many Spanish cities will have minimal supply against overwhelming demand, similar to what’s happening in other major European capitals. In that scenario, finding a rental home will be practically impossible because there will be far too many applicants for very few available properties.
And what are the most immediate and future projects for De Piso en Piso?
Although it may sound cliché, our goal is to incorporate artificial intelligence into the room-search process. The idea is that, by simply entering their profile and needs, each user receives personalized recommendations for the most suitable accommodation.
However, we’re talking about long-term co-living, not short stays. That’s why it’s essential to fine-tune the technology and develop it with great precision: the home suggested by the AI will, in many cases, be where the person lives for months, so it must be the right one—without mistakes.
