Airbnb vacation rentals banned in Spain: 66,000 listings removed for breaking housing laws
The Spanish government says the listings of Airbnb violated rules on licenses and transparency amid growing housing affordability concerns.
The Spanish Ministry of Consumer Affairs has ordered Airbnb to remove 65,935 vacation rental listings from its platform, citing widespread violations of housing regulations. The ministry stated Monday that many of the listings lacked valid license numbers or failed to indicate whether the property owner was an individual or a legal entity, as required by Spanish law.
Some listings, officials added, displayed license numbers that did not match government records. The action comes amid mounting concerns over Spain’s housing affordability crisis, with authorities pointing to the unchecked rise of short-term rental platforms in cities like Madrid and Barcelona as a contributing factor.
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Context: Rising housing pressures prompt crackdown
In recent months, tens of thousands of Spanish citizens have taken to the streets to protest soaring housing and rental costs, which many link to the surge in short-term vacation rentals. These listings, particularly on platforms like Airbnb, have proliferated in popular tourist destinations, exacerbating supply issues for long-term residents.
“We must stop protecting those who profit from what should be a basic right—housing,” Consumer Affairs Minister Pablo Bustinduy said Monday. The ministry noted that it had previously notified Airbnb of the noncompliant listings and that the company appealed the enforcement action in court.
Airbnb pushes back, legal path continues
Airbnb has said it will challenge the government’s order, arguing that the ministry lacks the legal authority to regulate short-term rentals. A spokesperson claimed the removal directive was based on an “indiscriminate methodology” that included listings not subject to licensing requirements.
However, the Spanish government announced that the High Court of Justice of Madrid upheld the order. The first phase of enforcement includes the removal of 5,800 listings, with two additional rounds to follow, ultimately reaching the nearly 66,000 targeted properties. Affected listings span across Spain, including the capital, Madrid, and the regions of Andalusia and Catalonia, where Barcelona is located.
