Spain has just drawn a hard line on short-term rentals.
The country has fined Airbnb €65 million for continuing to advertise short-term rental properties that were banned or lacked proper licences to operate.
The country’s consumer affairs ministry said the fine is final and ordered the US-based platform to remove the illegal listings immediately.
Officials said more than 65,000 Airbnb adverts breached Spanish consumer protection rules, including listing properties without licences or with licence numbers that did not match official registers.
The penalty is equal to six times the profits Airbnb made between when authorities warned the company about its offending listings and when they were taken down.
It also comes as pressure mounts on the government to curb tourist accommodation amid a deepening housing crisis, especially in major cities grappling with huge tourism numbers.
Why did Spain fine Airbnb?
According to the Spanish authorities, 65,122 Airbnb listings violated regulations designed to protect tenants and consumers.
Many of the properties were located in regions where short-term rentals are restricted or require explicit authorisation.
The consumer affairs ministry said platforms such as Airbnb are expected to check that properties advertised in Spain meet local and regional housing rules, including the use of valid licence numbers.
... continue reading