Lanzarote Cabildo removes nearly 900 illegal holiday rentals

The Cabildo has stepped up its enforcement on unlicensed tourist accommodation, removing 896 vacation rentals from the market over the past year.

Official figures show the number of registered holiday homes on the island has fallen from 8,209 to 7,313 between December 2024 and December 2025.

The reduction is a result of intensified inspection work by the Cabildo’s Land Use Planning Department. Properties were withdrawn primarily for two key legal failures: operating without a mandatory licence or lacking the necessary registration.

Cabildo President, Oswaldo Betancort, stated, “The reduction of almost 900 holiday homes in a single year is the result of administrative decisions and not of announcements.” He emphasised that the island’s housing policy is firmly based on applying existing regulations and correcting irregular situations that exacerbate pressure on the housing market.

Jesús Machín, Cabildo Councillor for Land Use Planning, stated, “The withdrawal of these homes opens up the possibility of them entering the residential market, helping to alleviate the existing pressure on renting and buying, especially in areas with strong competition between tourist and residential use.” He noted that most of the removed properties were in key tourist centres, where pressure on infrastructure and services is most acute.

Machín added, “The reduction in holiday homes also helps to curb the increase in tourist accommodation without the need to increase the number of visitors, which translates into less pressure on public services, the territory, and the daily life of the resident population, promoting a better balance between economic activity and quality of life in Lanzarote.”