By Inti Landauro
MADRID (Reuters) – Spain has ordered Airbnb to withdraw more than 65,000 listings for holiday rentals that violated existing rules from its platform as part of a general crackdown on a business blamed for contributing to the housing crisis in the country.
Most of the Airbnb listings to be blocked do not include their licence number, while others do not specify whether the owner was an individual or a corporation, the Consumer Ministry said in a statement on Monday.
Consumer Minister Pablo Bustinduy said his goal was to end the general “lack of control” and “illegality” in the holiday rental business.
“No more excuses. Enough with protecting those who make a business out of the right to housing in our country,” he told reporters.
The Spanish government, as well as city councils and regional authorities, have launched a general crackdown on tourism rentals via sites such as Airbnb and Booking.com, which many Spaniards say are creating excess tourism, reducing the housing supply and making renting unaffordable for many locals.
Housing has become a major issue in Spain as construction has failed to keep pace with demand since a construction bubble burst more than 15 years ago.
According to official data, there were about 321,000 homes with holiday rental licences in Spain as of November last year, 15% more than in 2020. Many more operate without official licences.
The Consumer Rights Ministry opened a probe into Airbnb in December.
A spokesperson for Airbnb did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Monday.
In December, the company said it always asked hosts to confirm they have permission to rent their places and abide by all local rules. The company also said that the ministry had failed to provide lists of non-compliant accommodation, and that many owners do not need a licence to rent out their property.
The company said the ministry did not have the authority to make rulings over short-term rentals and was disregarding court rulings specifying that Airbnb was a digital, not a real estate company.
Bustinduy said Monday’s order had the backing of Madrid’s high court.
In January, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez unveiled a plan to raise taxes on income from holiday rentals through platforms.
Barcelona Mayor Jaume Collboni took Spain’s toughest move so far in June last year when he ordered a total ban on tourism rentals by 2028.
Other European countries such as Croatia and Italy have also acted to slow down the holiday rental business.
(Reporting by Inti Landauro and Corina Pons, Editing by Ros Russell and Sharon Singleton)
