Visitors to Majorca now have a facility that allows them to check if holiday rental properties are legal, i.e. that they are registered with and licensed by the tourism ministry.
The Fundación Bit has developed a mobile app which at present contains information for more than 14,000 licensed properties. The app was unveiled on Friday by tourism minister Bel Busquets. She was at pains to say that the app is not a search engine for finding holiday rentals and that it doesn't contain information regarding the prices for rentals. It is a straightforward tool that allows users to verify the legal status (or not) of properties. If rental accommodation isn't revealed through the app, it isn't legal.
Having this information, the minister explained at the launch, will offer transparency and make it easier in terms of legal proceedings if there is some dispute. Consumers will therefore be getting added protection by knowing that they have rented a legal property.
It would seem that only around a half of registered holiday rental properties are on the app at the moment. On the tourism directorate general's website there is a list of all licensed properties in Majorca - 28,953. This list can be consulted. As the information via the app isn't yet complete, it wouldn't be the case - as the minister states - that a property not on the app can automatically be considered to be illegal.
The app is available through Apple Store and Google Play. Its name is Verificador alquiler turístico and it is available in English, German, Catalan and Castellano.
