Spain Blocks More Than 65,000 Airbnb Holiday Rental Listings (reuters.com)
- Reference: 0177663523
- News link: https://slashdot.org/story/25/05/20/226218/spain-blocks-more-than-65000-airbnb-holiday-rental-listings
- Source link: https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/spains-consumer-rights-ministry-blocks-more-than-65000-airbnb-listings-holiday-2025-05-19/
> Most of the Airbnb listings to be blocked do not include their licence number, while others do not specify whether the owner was an individual or a corporation, the Consumer Rights Ministry said in a statement on Monday. Consumer Rights Minister Pablo Bustinduy said his goal was to end the general "lack of control" and "illegality" in the holiday rental business. "No more excuses. Enough with protecting those who make a business out of the right to housing in our country," he told reporters.
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> Bustinduy said Madrid's high court is backing the request to withdraw as many as 5,800 listings. Airbnb will appeal the decision, a spokesperson said on Monday. The company believes the ministry does not have the authority to make rulings over short-term rentals and failed to provide an evidence-based list of non-compliant accommodation. Some of the incriminated listings are non-touristic seasonal ones, the spokesperson said.
[1] https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/spains-consumer-rights-ministry-blocks-more-than-65000-airbnb-listings-holiday-2025-05-19/
Housing should have never become an investment for (Score:2, Flamebait)
Housing should have never become an investment for hedge funds and other blood money, and greedy pseudo-investors making others pay for their pseudo-investments thru sites like airbnb. You are just running an illegal hotel and making life so much worse for the locals. Especially talking to the US Americans and especially the NYC and CA crowd, the vastly most over-privileged and overly entitled people on this planet.
Using airbnb has become pretty much insufferable as a customer any way.
Re:Housing should have never become an investment (Score:4, Interesting)
AirBNB has often been contributing to various campaigns so as to keep the heat away from what they do.
And there are very legitimate housing shares that are good, and benefit from the stupefying costs of hotels in major urban areas, like NYC and Barcelona. They're a relief valve, but also battle the fact that NIMBY new housing prevention and housing costs in general are overheated.
Will there be a tourist drop as a result? Barcelona wants that, but smaller areas away from major Spanish cities need that revenue and don't have the same market dynamics for housing.
AirBnB now has much additional competition, and some of that competition is in compliance with local laws, while others also skirt the laws, taxes, etc.
It is my humble opinion that corporations should not own residences, and humans need at most, three. Long tradition, however, allows the downside effects of slumlords and REIs, and other forms of residential gluttony to be easily managed, creating housing deserts.
Re: (Score:2)
> It is my humble opinion that corporations should not own residences, and humans need at most, three
But how will I make money with my parents' trust fund?
Re: (Score:2)
I hope that's a snarky reply, rather than a real one.
If not, consider you're creating fiefdom, with all that this implies.
About time (Score:4, Interesting)
About time. In Australia we've been slowly tightening up the legislation around short-term letting. Over the space of 20 years my apartment building changed from a vibrant community to feeling like a university dorm; after banning AirBnB we're starting to feel like a community again. "Housing has become a major issue in Spain as construction has failed to keep pace with demand since a real estate bubble burst more than 15 years ago." Though in Australia (like Spain) a slow rate of housing construction (and high immigration) is the overarching cause of housing stress.
Letâ(TM)s do some real math (Score:2)
Rather than assumingâ¦
1,200,000 hotel rooms in Spain
26,000,000 houses in Spain
Do you honestly think 65,000 houses, of which ONLY 5,800 are going to be banned will make any difference. Itâ(TM)s absolutely absurd to think Airbnb drives any market changes. It represents 5% of the hotel market, 0.25% of the housing market.
The average price of a house in Spain is $3000. If 0.25% of the houses are taken off the market, and assuming demand stays constant with a price elasticity of demand of -0.5,
Re: (Score:2)
I was gonna say, I'll take three at that price
Re: (Score:2)
I think he means $3000/sq meter, which I've always thought was a stupid way to judge housing.
Re: (Score:2, Interesting)
Its socialism until the house next door becomes a party house. You call the cops at 3:00 am. They come and it quiets down. Owner apologizes profusely and says that the guests violated the rental agreement. Next week same scenario, different party.
Do vacation rentals cause a national housing shortage? No, they contribute a small amount. Can vacation rentals in tourist areas create a local housing crisis. You bet, big time. Its simple economics. You can make a lot more money renting by the day or week than
Re: (Score:2)
I wonder in America if there was a law that no Corporation nor Person can own more than three houses. How would that affect housing affordability? Would the "American Dream" become more reachable? I don't suggest that it should happen overnight, maybe go from 1,000 houses, to 500, to 250.. tick tock.. year after year.
Eclipse (Score:2)
This is probably because hotels want to monopolize the rush for reservations for the eclipse in August next year. You'll see them shutting down campgrounds next.
"unregulated short-term rentals" (Score:3, Insightful)
Is that the new euphemism for illegal hotel?
Re: "unregulated short-term rentals" (Score:4, Insightful)
Sweetie, the entitlement.
You traveling with 2 dogs is not Spain's problem.
Leave your dogs with a friend.
Re: "unregulated short-term rentals" (Score:5, Funny)
You think dogs are bad, try traveling with a mobile meth lab. I'm sure happy those illegal hotels are there or it just wouldn't be possible.
Re: (Score:1)
Look into AirBnbs in St. Louis.
Re: (Score:3)
I really would not advise you travel Spain with dogs. Your best hope is to buy a house there then you can have dogs. Renting anything with pets will be near impossible and nobody will even understand why on earth would anyone rent a place and bring pets. I know it seems crazy but talk to some Spaniard. Not even a cat is likely allowed on a rental in Spain.
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
Stay home, or dog hotel them.
Its the same thing with children. YOU made that choice. DONT fuck every else over because of it.
Re: (Score:2)
So traveling with children is somehow fucking over other people? Seriously?
Re: (Score:3)
Theres no real reason why those "illegal hotels" cant get properly licensed and offer the same product at the same time (ie accepting pets).
The "illegal hotels" wont do that tho because it costs them money and means inspections so their rooms arent death traps.
Re: (Score:3)
It is not possible to get properly licensed in many places in Spain as no new licenses are issued.
In Barcelona, the already granted licenses won't even get renewed in 2028.