Who ordered the purchase of the luxury penthouse by Planifica Madrid?: the key questions surrounding Ayuso that still remain unanswered

The dossier released by the Government of Isabel Díaz Ayuso regarding the controversial penthouse in Chamberí is structured into three sections: the acquisition of the property by Planifica Madrid, the subsequent rental to the regional Administration, and the attempt to sell it, which has been unsuccessful. However, the dossier does not answer one of the central questions of the case: if someone asked to buy an apartment with those characteristics, who was it?

Official explanations oscillate between two versions. On the one hand, it is suggested that the initiative came from Planifica Madrid, the public company that tracks properties eligible to enter the regional heritage. On the other hand, it is pointed out that the order could have come from the Ministry of the Presidency, although the Executive has never clarified whether the president was behind the operation. The only thing acknowledged is that Ayuso visited the property in person once the purchase had already been formalized before a notary.

The first block, titled “Acquisition of the property by Planifica Madrid”, details that the purchase was closed on April 14 for 6.3 million euros, to which 378,000 euros in taxes were added, raising the public outlay to almost 6.7 million. The operation began in February with a confidentiality agreement between Planifica and the real estate agency, but the dossier does not clarify who promoted the search or why other options were discarded.

In the rental section, the documentation reveals that the Community agreed to pay a monthly rent of 3,000 euros for ten years, with a grace period of 15 months that delayed the first payment until November 2027. However, two days after formalizing the lease, the regional Government decided to cancel it. The needs report, dated July 2 —almost three months after the purchase—, justifies the property as a space with a work area, a rest area, and “occasional accommodation” for authorities, including those of the Community of Madrid.

The third block, related to the sale, shows that the auction attempt called by Planifica Madrid has been unsuccessful: no buyer submitted an offer for the 6.69 million euros requested. The Executive had announced that it would allocate the income to the reconstruction of the areas affected by the fires, but the absence of buyers prevents fulfilling that commitment.

Meanwhile, the Government's explanations have been varying. First, the penthouse was presented as a temporary office for Ayuso during the works at the Real Casa de Correos; then it was denied that it was an official residence, and finally it has been recognized that it was prepared for the occasional accommodation of authorities, including the president herself. An internal report from the delegated comptroller of the Ministry of Economy and Finance, signed on July 27, warned that the need, suitability, and cost of the project were not sufficiently explained, although her pronouncement was favorable and allowed the processing to continue.