Spain cracks down on short term property rentals – these are the proposed new rules


THE SPANISH government is considering two new rules to crack down on short term property rentals. 

Today, July 3, Spain considered two main measures to combat short term rentals, a loophole often abused by landlords to avoid housing laws. 

Landlords will have to justify the reasons for limiting the contract, in order to ‘safe short term rentals for those that really need it,’ like seasonal workers and students. 

According to the Minister for Housing, Isabel Rodriguez, this ‘justification’ is necessary to avoid fraud. 

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Isabel Rodriguez has announced the new measures in an attempt to control short term rentals.
Photo: Cordon Press

Short term lets are often given for seasonal workers or students 

A new state platform will also be created to advertise short term rentals, verified using work contracts, study forms or equivalent documents. 

Each of these rentals will be given a unique code in order to track and control rentals. 

The measures are a development of recent EU legislation and are expected to be in place by the end of 2025. 

They were presented this morning by Rodriguez following a meeting with Spain’s working group on short term rentals. 


The group, made up of ministers, estate agents, unions and the general public was established to find a solution to landlords who abuse short term contracts, as well as the issue of tourist lets. 

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Protesters demonstrated in Barcelona after two sisters committed suicide before being evicted from their Sant Andreu apartment.
Photo: Cordon Press

Rodriguez is set to contact parliamentary groups in an attempt to modify the ‘Horizontal Property law’ so that neighbours have to give the green light before tourist lets can be established.

“We can’t look the other way,” she said.

It comes as thousands took part in protests this weekend to demand affordable housing.


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