The Canary Islands are handing out fines of nearly £2,000 for people who don’t comply with one of their tourism regulations.
The 2013 Tourist Law states that certain apartments must be rented out to tourists, but some owners are not complying.
Municipal reports are used to determine whether an apartment is in a “tourist complex”, but these reports sometimes prevent people from living in their own homes.
One such person is Antonia, a widow who received a £1,866 fine, according to the Platform for Affected Residents (PALT), which has a list of all those fined and under investigation.
She told Canarian Weekly: “I have a deadline to pay, and I’m gathering the money, but it’s not easy.”
Antonia bought her home with her life savings and a mortgage, but has now been forced to move in with her daughter to avoid further fines of potentially up to £240,000.
She said: “Now I find myself in this situation, and I don’t understand it. I was lucky to have my daughter to help me, but what if I had no one?”
“Why didn’t the notary tell me? Why didn’t they inform me that my property rights in the Canary Islands were not secure? Why did I buy something I am not allowed to live in?”
PALT spokesperson Maribe Dorests said there have already been around 80 fines handed out, some of which have been given with no warning.
She said: “People are getting fined without even knowing about it because the notifications are published in official bulletins rather than sent directly.”
Despite a 2017 law allowing some long-standing residents to remain, the local council said the area Antonia lives in is classified as tourist accommodation, banning residential use.
The government has also proposed a new Holiday Rental law, but this has faced backlash for classifying privately owned homes as “tourism units.”
Maribe added: “This new law targets residents and property owners yet again. We support those who want to engage in holiday rentals, especially in coastal areas across the Canary Islands. But this law is a Trojan horse, it is designed to strip us of our rights.”
