JAKARTA The Spanish government ordered Airbnb to withdraw more than 65,000 holiday rental advertisements from its platform for violating applicable regulations. This move is part of a broader crackdown on short-term rental businesses that are considered to exacerbating the housing crisis in the country.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Consumer Affairs on Monday, May 19, most of the blocked ads did not include an official license number, while others did not mention whether property owners were individuals or companies.
The Minister of Consumer Affairs, Pablo Bustanduy, stated that the goal was to end the "lack of supervision and illegality" in the holiday rental business. "That's enough for reasons. It's time to stop those who make the right to residence a business commodity," said Pablo Bustinduy, quoted by VOI from Reuters.
The Spanish government, along with city governments and regional authorities, is tightening tourist rentals through platforms such as Airbnb and Booking.com, which are accused of causing tourism explosions, reducing residential supplies, and making rental prices soar to infinity for local residents.
The housing problem in Spain is getting worse as development has been unable to keep up with demand growth since property bubbles broke more than 15 years ago.
Official data shows that in November 2024, there will be around 321,000 homes with holiday rental licenses in Spain, up 15% compared to 2020. However, there are still many other properties operating without official permits.
The Ministry of Consumers has opened an investigation into Airbnb since December 2024.
An Airbnb spokesperson has not commented on Monday. However, in December, the company stated that it always asks property owners to ensure that they have permits and comply with local rules. Airbnb also pointed out that the ministry does not provide a list of property that does not comply with the rules, and that not all owners need a license to lease their property.
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Airbnb also argues that the ministry does not have legal authority to regulate short-term leases, and ignores a court ruling stating that Airbnb is a digital company, not a property agent.
But Bustanduy insists that this blocking order has received support from Madrid's top court.
In January 2024, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced plans to raise taxes on holiday rental income obtained through platforms such as Airbnb.
Last year, Barcelona Mayor Jaume Collboni took the most decisive action by banning total leases for tourists starting in 2028.
Other European countries such as Croatia and Italy have also taken steps to slow down the growth of holiday rental businesses.
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