Lorraine Williamson
Spain’s housing squeeze has reached a tipping point. Soaring rents in tourist hotspots have priced locals out of their own neighbourhoods. Consequently, pushing the government to act where other European countries still hesitate.
The latest move targets thousands of unlicensed holiday apartments that, until now, slipped through regional controls.
A first for Europe
From 1 January, a single national register has been quietly operating behind the scenes, linking property owners directly to digital platforms. Any listing without a valid registration code is automatically flagged and removed. It is the first system of its kind in Europe and reflects Madrid’s ambition to set the standard for regulating short-term lets.
Early results reveal the scale of abuse
Data released this week show how quickly the net is tightening. More than 336,000 applications for registration have already been processed, nearly 80% for tourist rentals. Around one in five submissions were rejected for incomplete or false information, exposing the extent of Spain’s shadow rental market. Andalucia leads the list of problem regions, well ahead of the Canary Islands, Catalonia, and Valencia.
Platforms forced to act
Airbnb, Booking, and similar portals are now legally obliged to delist any property without the new code. In Andalucia alone, 16,740 apartments have been removed or denied registration since July. Housing Minister Isabel Rodríguez says the goal is not to punish legitimate hosts but to stop fraud and protect residents’ access to affordable homes.
Regional rifts and political heat
The clampdown has reignited political friction. Andalucian socialist spokesman José Bernal accuses the Sánchez government of “strangling tourism” and threatening local jobs. Madrid presents a different picture: most new registrations there are for medium-term leases rather than holiday lets, and a third of tourist applications have already been withdrawn for failing to meet the rules.
Better transport links could ease Spain´s housing crisis
Balancing tourism with residents’ rights
Officials insist the register is about defending the social function of housing. By forcing transparency and curbing speculative holiday lets, they hope to stabilise rents and return homes to long-term use. If the policy succeeds, Spain could provide a template for other European nations grappling with the disruptive rise of short-term rentals.
Spain’s bold experiment is still in its infancy, but early figures suggest a market once seen as untouchable is finally facing real oversight—a shift that could reshape both the tourism industry and everyday life in its most visited cities.
Source: Europa Press