Airbnb has reached an agreement with Spain’s Housing Department to remove any properties advertised on its site that do not have an official registration code.
The decision follows the introduction of Spain’s short-term rental law, which came into force at the beginning of July. This law requires all short-term rentals, including holiday lets, to be registered with the Land Register.
In return, the property will receive a certificate affirming that it is legally permitted to operate as a rental, with a número de alquiler (rental number). If a property has no such certificate or number, letting it out could attract fines and other penalties and cause legal problems for advertising platforms.
Accordingly, Airbnb has agreed to provide a monthly report to the Spanish Housing Department, ensuring that the platform is operating in accordance with the new law.
Airbnb has also stated that it will notify owners in advance if their rental property does not meet the requirements, allowing them a period of time to rectify the situation.
Registry offices in the Canaries were snowed under by certificate requests in the run-up to July, but it is still estimated that a large proportion of rental properties have not yet regularised their situation.
Associations of rental owners have criticised the law, claiming that it penalises smaller property owners and favours large companies that own multiple properties.
If you’re a rental owner who is yet to obtain a certificate and rental number, we highly recommend that you get expert professional advice and assistance.
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