February 27 is a key date for the Balearic Government's sustainability pact. Proposals from the twelve working parties are due to be outlined. Phase two of the pact process will then commence - examination of these proposals and implementation.
Motivated by concerns about overtourism, the working parties have considered various issues, housing being one of them. The government has been doing its own work in anticipation of the working parties' conclusions, it having noted a consensus regarding holiday rentals in apartments. In this regard, it is understood that the government is studying legal formulas to prohibit such rentals without running the risk of being hit with compensation demands.
Eradication of apartments lets is said to be viewed as a priority objective. As things stand currently, prohibition only applies to Palma and the island of Ibiza. The ban in Palma, introduced in 2018, was challenged by Fevitur, the Spanish federation for holiday rentals. The courts came down on the side of the town hall. In Barcelona, the local association is at present demanding compensation of up to 1,000 million euros. Both the city of Barcelona and the Catalonia Government intend the banning of apartment holiday lets.
There is support for a ban in Mallorca and the Balearics from a variety of sources, e.g. the Forum for Civil Society and the Mallorca Hoteliers Federation. Last October, the federation criticised a lack of government courage when a package of measures did not include the elimination of this type of letting. The hoteliers expressed their "disappointment" at what they considered to have been "a golden opportunity to return a huge pool of residential housing to the market".
According to Council of Mallorca figures, apartments represent 9,344 accommodation places (beds). These are less than ten per cent of all holiday rental places (104,000) and are in 2,212 properties. In addition there are some ETV60 places for apartments in areas of Mallorca which can be offered for no more than 60 days a year. Their number is marginal.
Legislation in 2017 allowed the licensing of apartments for holiday rental for the first time. The tourism minister who introduced this legislation, Biel Barceló of Més, argued that it would "democratise" tourist accommodation and spread the wealth from tourism more broadly. Més have since said this was a mistake. The Barceló law also tightened up the application of the tenancy act, which had been abused for years. All short-term rentals of less than 30 days were deemed to be for tourist purposes, unless owners could provide solid proof that they were not.
15 comments
To be able to write a comment, you have to be registered and logged in
Holiday apartments bought for private use will just stand empty if they can't be used as holiday lets. The owners can't let them long-term if they also want to use them, so they can never contribute to the solution. The only sector suffering from their extended use is the hotel sector, not the homeless. Small surprise at the hotelier push-back, but it's self-interest not social conscience.
RedbaronHow will that help the locals? It's the government who has to get their act together and actually take action, not just talking.
Zoltan TeglasGood try. It was a question, seeing that you always seem to be very vocal when the PP aren’t up to your expectations.
Put the tourist tax up to 25 euro per day per person and all the overcrowding will end simplest solutions
Hotels have always been vocal that's why the letting permits were introduced in the first place. Nearly 20 years later they still complain. I agree the are hypocrites as they play the violin for the locals and the housing crises. All they are interested in is their own pockets.
Richard PearsonWhy ask me, do you think I'm in the PSOE? What a stupid comment!
Zoltan TeglasAny news about the hundreds of thousands that Pedro Sánchez promised 3 years ago ? And how many did Armengol build whilst she was in power ? 20 ?
Scapegoat rubbish, this will solve nothing.
When is the Balearic government going to build the thousands of affordable houses that are desperately needed? Next year? The year after? In five years? And meanwhile tourists numbers are still increasing, and more workers from elsewhere will have to come here to work in the hotels, putting even more pressure on the housing market.
The right to own and use property. That’s no different between a hotel owner or individual letting, leasing or short term renting. So if you apply to local government and confirm with relevant occupancy regulations. Then there’s not only the human rights laws requirement but the single market restrictions on trade . So the legality is questionable on European Union trade law and human rights legislation. But I suppose populist politics is easier than building affordable houses for locals.