The Daily Star Ireland
Spain has launched an investigation into Airbnb for failing to remove thousands of rental listings from its platform, which the authorities claim are contributing to housing shortages and rising real estate prices. These listings are alleged to be illegal advertisements for tourist rentals without proper licenses, and the Consumer Rights Ministry has ordered the company to take them down.
The investigation is part of a broader effort by the Spanish government to address the negative impact of tourism rental platforms like Airbnb and Booking.com. Many residents argue that these platforms exacerbate the housing crisis by reducing available rental properties and driving up prices for locals.
Airbnb, which has confirmed that it is the platform under scrutiny, has stated its intention to appeal if the investigation finds it in violation of regulations. The ministry’s department had requested that Airbnb remove thousands of listings since the summer, but when the platform did not comply, the government initiated a disciplinary process. This could result in fines of up to €100,000 or more, based on the revenue generated from these listings.
Airbnb maintains that it requires hosts to verify they have the necessary permissions to rent out their properties and follow local regulations. The company also argues that the ministry has not provided a comprehensive list of non-compliant properties and that many hosts do not need a license to rent their homes. Furthermore, Airbnb claims that the ministry lacks the authority to regulate short-term rentals and is disregarding previous legal rulings, including a 2019 European Court of Justice decision that classified Airbnb as an “information society service” rather than a real estate agent.
In response to growing concerns over tourism rentals, Barcelona’s mayor, Jaume Collboni, announced a total ban on tourism rentals by 2028, a move that has sparked legal challenges from associations representing property owners. Airbnb has urged the mayor to reconsider, arguing that the ban would primarily benefit the hotel sector while doing little to solve the broader issues of tourism and housing.
The Spanish Consumer Rights Ministry has also recently launched investigations into agencies managing multiple rental accounts on behalf of property owners. This follows similar measures in other European countries, including Italy and Croatia, which are also attempting to curb the expansion of tourism rentals.
