Brits have been warned about illegal tourist apartments in one of Spain’s most visited cities. Over 15,000 apartments are operating without a licence in Madrid and the local mayor has been urged to remove their adverts from sites such as Airbnb.
According to Spain’s Consumer Affairs Ministry, only 1,131 out of 16,335 tourist apartments in the capital have the licence needed to operate legally. The government is asking Madrid mayor José Luis Martínez Almeida to take action against the illicit holiday lets.
Tourists who unknowingly stay in unlicensed properties face disruption or possible eviction if enforcement actions are taken during their holiday. Brits are recommended to check the legal status of their accomodation before booking their stay in Madrid.
Last November, the Madrid City Council approved a policy banning tourist rentals in residential buidlings. The issue increases housing costs and contributes to overtourism in residential zones across the Spanish capital.
Spain’s Consumer Affairs Ministry, led by Pablo Bustinduy, is now pushing Madrid to follow in the footsteps of Barcelona and Ibiza. Both destinations have removed thousands of illegall listings in recent years which has led to more housing being available for local people.
In Ibiza, a mission was also launched to identify illegal lets and take down unauthorised adverts. Officials clamped down on the issue by increasing inspections and fines across the island.
In Madrid, only 215 lets were stopped from operating last year and the mayor is now being urged to act. The areas with the most illegal apartments include Calle Mayor and Calle Preciados, which are both popular among tourists.
The ministry has reportedly given Almeida a file of their findings. It includes addresses, website URLs and host details to help the Madrid authorities identify and punish illegal operators.
It’s hoped that these illegal listings will be removed from online sites before being returned to the market for local residents.
