Else Beekman
Barcelona is set to implement one of the most drastic measures against short-term tourist rentals. From 2028, licences for 10,000 tourist apartments will no longer be renewed. Owners will need to repurpose their properties, most likely for long-term rental to local residents.
This decision is now final following a ruling by Spain’s Constitutional Court, which upheld a decree issued by the Catalan government.
What does this mean for Barcelona?
With this measure, the city council aims to tackle the housing crisis in the Catalan capital. Rental prices have skyrocketed in recent years, largely due to the overwhelming demand for short-term rentals via platforms such as Airbnb. By returning 10,000 properties from the tourist sector to the long-term rental market, Barcelona hopes to increase supply and stabilise prices.
Mayor Jaume Collboni has made it clear that this decision is firm and non-negotiable. Airbnb and other rental platforms will have to adapt to this new reality. He stated: “The ruling of the Constitutional Court strengthens, validates, and provides legal certainty to this measure. We are on the right path.”
In response to the Constitutional Court’s decision, the leader of the Barcelona City Council has confirmed that his government can restrict this type of accommodation to zero by 2029, as planned. “It is necessary, possible, and constitutional to change the rules of the market,” he stated from the City Hall’s Saló de la Ciutat. He also insisted that the ruling allows his government to move forward with its plan to eliminate tourist apartments “with all legal guarantees.”
A legal battle and political impact
The legislation was initially challenged by the conservative Partido Popular (PP), which opposed the restrictions on rental rights. However, Spain’s Constitutional Court dismissed their appeal, giving the Catalan government the green light to proceed. The law allows municipalities to revoke licences. Furthermore, it caps the number of tourist rentals, never exceeding 10% of total housing stock.
Stricter than Paris and New York?
With this move, Barcelona joins the ranks of cities taking tough action against short-term tourist rentals. Paris already has strict regulations limiting the use of homes for tourism to just a few weeks per year. However, Barcelona appears to be going even further, second only to New York, which recently imposed an outright ban on most short-term rentals, significantly altering the city’s accommodation landscape.
Response from tourist apartment owners
Owners of tourist apartments in Barcelona are not willing to accept the measure without a fight and are preparing legal action against the Catalan government. They demand that the plan to revoke all licences in 2028 be reversed or at least softened. According to them, Barcelona’s housing crisis mirrors that of other major Spanish cities. It is caused by a structural lack of supply, not by tourist rentals.
The first step in their battle is a legal offensive. So far, compensation claims worth €4.28 billion have been filed, covering 7,200 apartments. The industry association Apartur warns that if the Generalitat fails to address these claims within six months, landlords will take the matter to court.
Apartur also highlights the economic importance of tourist rentals. According to a PwC report, the sector contributes €1.95 billion to Barcelona’s GDP and supports 40,340 jobs. The organisation argues that short-term rentals account for only 1.2% of the city’s housing stock. Therefore, alternative solutions, such as better use of the tourist tax revenue, would be more effective. Apartur proposes to allocate 100% of the revenue from this tax to fund affordable housing. The revenue is estimated at €100 million in 2023 (with €75 million coming from Barcelona).
Also read: Barcelona to close all tourist apartments by 2029