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ARCHIVED - Spanish crackdown on illegal holiday lets could jeopardise holidaymakers
Inspectors are shutting down unlicensed holiday accommodation across Mallorca, Spain
With Spain heading for a scorcher this weekend and temperatures soaring higher than any May in the previous 20 years, thousands of Britons will be turning their minds to booking a long-awaited break in the sun. The Balearic Islands have always been a favourite destination for UK tourists, but the local council has warned holidaymakers to be on their guard against illegal accommodation rentals, lest they find themselves seriously out of pocket.
The price of both flights and tourist accommodation is skyrocketing throughout Spain, and many are hoping to make a quick buck by renting out flats and villas in Mallorca without the correct licence. To maintain quality tourism, the government is sending out an army of inspectors over the next couple of weeks to weed out unlicensed holiday lets.
Fines for property owners range from 20,001 to 40,000 euros, and while tourists won’t be fined if they unwittingly book an illegal rental, they could arrive in Spain to find their accommodation has been shut down and have to fork out for an alternative apartment.
A spokesperson said: “Mallorca council took over the powers in matters of tourist planning on January 1 and since then, we have been acting with the utmost force against illegalities that harm tourist services.
Around 200 flats are to be checked in the next few weeks, with another 361 already monitored since the beginning of the year.”
The authorities have also asked locals and holidaymakers to be on the lookout and report any dodgy dealings. Similar inspections will be carried out in the party resorts of Magaluf and Playa de Palma before the summer season begins in earnest.
They continued: “In addition, the public can inform the island institution via e-mail if they are aware of any property that offers tourist rentals without being registered in the Tourist Register of the island of Mallorca.”
For the moment, Brits heading to Spain on holiday still need to be vaccinated or have recovered from coronavirus, but the Minister of Tourism has offered a glimmer of hope this week, suggesting that in the coming days Covid passports will no longer be required for non-EU citizens.
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