I wholeheartedly echo the numerous recent comments regarding this island´s total lack of a co-ordinated set-up to cater for the thousands of property owners who rent out their apartments & fincas (regardless of whether licences are required or not) and the tens of thousands of tourists from all over Europe who choose to rent them.
To call this whole situation a grey area is an understatement, it is a complete shambles! On a recent visit to the Conselleria de Turisme, I was informed that owners of apartments on Majorca may rent their properties out to whoever they want for whatever duration (1 night, 1 week, 1 month or whatever) and do not require any form of licence, provided the properties are not officially marketed as ´Holiday Apartments´
Yet, only yesterday, an inspector from the same government department arrived at a block of seafront apartments, the majority of which are rented out on a short-term basis, to investigate a complaint made by one of the few permanent residents (who presumably feels that it is preferable these units remain empty when not used by their owners) that someone is renting out without a licence!
The situation for finca owners is equally absurd. Although licences have been obtained in the past by owners wanting to rent out, no more are being issued. This means one law for some and another law for others.
On top of those confusing issues is the one regarding agency rentals. Owners permitted to rent can of course appoint an agent to deal with their rentals - but not a local one! A business licence would be required and there is no such catagory on Majorca, so owners, if they are aware of the law and want to keep within it, appoint agencies from other countries, which then pay their taxes to those countries, not into the Majorcan coffers.
Nevertheless, most Majorcan tourist-area estate agencies disregard the law and do act as rental agents and, unlicensed to do, thus break the law every time they take a booking.
It is high time the government arrived into the 21st century and realise that it is futile for them to continue backing the hotels in their fight to have a monopoly on rental accommodation.
Visitors to this island want a choice and also variation, sometimes enjoying the excellent facilities provided when staying in a hotel and sometimes demanding the privacy of an apartment - and to try and ban such is like having the post office try and ban people sending e-mails. There is no other country in Europe, possibly the World, that requires holiday apartments to be licensed and then does not allow anyone to apply for one!
It is a good thing that this subject is coming out in the open and should now be put onto the table for discussion. Maybe this is the time at last for an association to be formed by the owners of rental properties.
They would as a group, possibly be able to challenge these out-dated and unclear regulations and maybe make the government understand that they are not only losing millions of euros every year in potential licence fees and unpaid taxes but annoying property owners and visitors alike by continuing the current deplorable and unworkable situation.
John Lance
Portals Nous
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