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A question that has arisen regarding the government's forthcoming holiday rentals' legislation has had to do with the extent to which it might reflect joined-up thinking with other legislation, specifically the new housing act. An indication that there is some overlap comes in a provision contained in the draft housing law for deposits to be paid by tenants.

The government has amended its initial draft so that for lets of less than one month there will have to be a two months' deposit. This is targeted at the national tenancy act, Ley de Arrendamientos Urbanos, and at "non-tourist" rentals. While they may not, under strict application of the tenancy act, be touristic, most of them are precisely that.

Housing minister Marc Pons says that the measure would mean that "false holiday rentals" would not elude the law and would, moreover, make it easier to check data, though this checking may well assume that deposits are lodged in bank accounts.

A different aspect of the housing legislation tackles property that is unoccupied for a lengthy period. The government wants to set this at a minimum of six months and to also have a census of unoccupied properties. It envisages letting town halls decide what to do about such properties.

Pons insists that this would not be a coercive measure but a persuasive one backed up with incentives. He wants to enable more renting (presumably of the long-term variety). Properties could come under the management of the Ibavi housing agency for a period of two years; owners would get returns from the rent.