Spain Cracks Down on Illegal Holiday Rentals

Spain's Consumer Rights Ministry has launched an investigation into an unidentified holiday apartment rental platform for failing to remove illegal listings without official tourist licenses. Despite prior warnings, the platform faces potential fines as part of a broader effort against overtourism impacts.

Spain's Consumer Rights Ministry announced on Wednesday that it has initiated an investigation into a yet-unnamed holiday apartment rental platform. The company is accused of not removing thousands of listings deemed to be illegal by the ministry.

The investigation began in June, when the ministry's General Directorate for Consumer Rights requested details about holiday apartments listed on the platform. It later demanded the removal of numerous ads with 'illegal advertising', primarily due to a lack of official tourist property license numbers, as explained by a ministry spokesperson.

The platform now faces fines reaching up to 100,000 euros or five to six times the profit gained from these listings. This probe is part of a larger effort to regulate the tourism rentals sector, often blamed for exacerbating overtourism and driving up housing costs in Spain. Meanwhile, industry giants Airbnb and Booking.com have yet to comment.

(With inputs from agencies.)