Spain orders removal of more than 65,000 Airbnb tourist rentals it says violate regulations

Spain has launched a awesome clampdown connected Airbnb properties, ordering nan removal of complete 65,000 vacation rental listings crossed nan state that neglect to comply pinch regulations. 

The Spanish Consumer Rights Ministry cited respective violations, including missing licence numbers, not specifying whether nan proprietor was an individual aliases a corporation, and discrepancies betwixt listed accusation and charismatic records.

The crackdown comes against nan backdrop of Spain's increasing lodging affordability crisis, which has sparked wide protests complete rising rents and location prices. 

Many Spaniards blasted short-term rentals connected platforms for illustration Airbnb for worsening lodging shortages, peculiarly successful celebrated tourer destinations for illustration Madrid and Barcelona.

‘No much excuses’

On Monday, Spain’s Consumer Rights Minister Pablo Bustinduy said nan move aimed to reside nan wide "lack of control" and "illegality" successful nan holiday rental business.

"No much excuses. Enough pinch protecting those who make a business retired of nan correct to lodging successful our country," he told reporters.

The nationwide enforcement chiefly targets listings successful Madrid, Andalusia, and Catalonia, wherever tourism is astir heavy concentrated.

The ministry said it had notified Airbnb astir nan noncompliant listings months ago, but that nan institution had appealed nan move successful court.

Spain’s authorities said Madrid’s precocious tribunal had backed nan bid sent to Airbnb.

Bustinduy said it progressive nan contiguous removal of 5,800 rental listings from nan site. Two consequent orders would beryllium issued until nan full of 65,935 removals is reached, he said.

Airbnb intends to entreaty caller ruling

Official information shows Spain had astir 321,000 licensed vacation rentals arsenic of November past year- a 15 per cent summation since 2020 - pinch galore much operating without due licenses.

The Consumer Rights Ministry opened an investigation into Airbnb successful December past year.

Airbnb told Euronews Travel it will proceed to entreaty against each decisions linked to this case.

“No grounds of rule-breaking by hosts has been put forward, and nan determination goes against EU and Spanish law, and a erstwhile ruling by nan Spanish Supreme Court,” a spokesperson said.

“The guidelines origin of nan affordable lodging situation successful Spain is simply a deficiency of proviso to meet demand. The solution is to build much homes - thing other is simply a distraction."

The spokesperson added that governments crossed nan world are seeing that regulating Airbnb does not alleviate lodging concerns aliases return homes to nan market: "It only hurts section families who trust connected hosting to spend their homes and rising costs.”

Barcelona bans short-term rentals

Last year, nan Spanish authorities launched a wide crackdown connected vacation rentals amid increasing vexation among residents who opportunity wide tourism is aggravating a lodging crisis.

Locals opportunity they are being priced retired of their cities owed to gentrification and landlords favouring much lucrative short-term tourer lets.

Barcelona has already taken fierce measures to reside nan problem, announcing plans to destruct each 10,000 licensed short-term rental apartments by 2028 to prioritise lodging for imperishable residents.