Spain has intensified its campaign against Airbnb and similar rental booking platforms, ordering the removal of over 65,000 holiday rental listings from Airbnb alone for violating national regulations. The Consumer Rights Ministry announced the move, citing widespread non-compliance, including missing license numbers and unclear ownership details. This action is part of a broader government effort, supported by regional and municipal authorities, to address the surge in short-term rentals that many locals blame for exacerbating housing shortages and driving up real estate prices in popular destinations.
A series of sweeping legal reforms have been rolled out to rein in the proliferation of tourist rentals. Since April 2024, new national rules require that at least 60% of property owners in a building must approve any new short-term rental, effectively giving neighbors veto power over such lets. This change, which modifies Spain’s Horizontal Property Law, is particularly significant in cities like Madrid and Barcelona, where thousands of unlicensed listings have sparked complaints about noise, security, and the disappearance of affordable housing. Existing rentals with all paperwork in order before the law’s enactment are exempt, but new applicants face much stricter scrutiny.
The Spanish government has also mandated that all short-term rental properties be registered in a national database and obtain a permit before being listed online. Accommodation providers must now collect sensitive guest information, and VAT on short-term rentals is being raised to match the 10% rate paid by hotels. Non-compliance can result in fines up to €600,000, with full enforcement beginning in July 2025. The government argues these measures are necessary to prioritize residential housing over tourist use, with Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez declaring, “There are too many Airbnbs. What’s lacking is housing.”
Airbnb and industry advocates have pushed back, warning that the new restrictions threaten up to 400,000 jobs and €30 billion in economic activity. They argue that short-term rentals are vital for rural communities and small businesses, and that excessive regulation could push the market underground or concentrate tourism even further in crowded urban areas. While the government maintains that regulation is essential to restore housing affordability and community balance, the battle between policymakers and rental platforms is far from over, with significant implications for Spain’s tourism-dependent economy and its residents’ quality of life.
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(Source: Spanish Property Insights | EuroNews | BNB News)
