Palma mayor asking for rentals websites compliance

Noguera stresses the town hall's wish to guarantee the right of access to decent housing for the resident community. Palma has to be a city for people to live in. They should not have to leave in order to find somewhere decent to live and at an affordable price. The mayor observes that in parallel to the increase in holiday rentals, the price for residential letting has also increased. He concedes that holiday rentals have not been the only factor in driving up the price, but states that it is "undeniable" that it has influenced the price.

Since 2013, he notes, there has been a 40% rise in the average price. For this reason, "we are obliged to act and take decisions that are in the general interest". Furthermore, the letter states that between 2015 and 2016 there was a 50% increase in the number of "unregulated" holiday apartments. From Airbnb data in February 2017, there were 2,972 entries, and in almost 50% of cases, holiday rentals were available for between seven and nine months. These therefore offered "no possibility of residential letting".

Noguera concludes: "As mayor of Palma and responsible for the citizens' general interest, I ask that you comply with the law."