Spain makes huge holiday ruling as 65,000 tourist rentals blocked
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Spain blocks 65,000 tourist rentals for breaching regulations
- Spain has ordered Airbnb to remove over 65,000 holiday rental listings for breaching regulations, including missing license numbers and unclear ownership records.
- The crackdown comes amid a housing affordability crisis in Spain, with rising rents and home prices blamed on the proliferation of short-term rentals.
- Barcelona is planning to phase out all 10,000 licensed short-term rental apartments by 2028 to prioritise housing for permanent residents.
- Consumer Minister Pablo Bustinduy aims to end the "lack of control" and "illegality" in the holiday rental business, addressing citizen concerns.
- Airbnb stated that it always asks hosts to confirm they have permission to rent and abide by local rules, and that the ministry lacks authority over short-term rentals.