Popular Spanish islands, traditionally sought after by British tourists for winter sun getaways, have passed a new set of regulations that could complicate finding accommodation during peak seasons. The Canary Islands’ Parliament endorsed the legislation after a contentious debate, more than two years following its initial proposal. The bill, as reported by Canarian Weekly, has faced backlash from vacation rental companies and local authorities tasked with enforcement.
ASCAV (Asociación Canaria del Alquiler Vacacional), representing holiday rental property owners in the Canaries, described the approval as a “dark day,” expressing concerns that the changes will predominantly impact small-scale rentals, reducing options for holidaymakers. The legislation primarily targets holiday rentals, with strong support from the hotel industry, their main rivals. Under the new laws, holiday rentals will be categorized as commercial enterprises, even including smaller operations like families renting out their residences. Stricter regulations will dictate where tourist rentals can be situated, with councils mandated to define permissible rental zones within five years.
Additional requirements for holiday lets include minimum property size, energy efficiency ratings, and a minimum property age of ten years for rental eligibility. Councils are mandated to allocate 80% of housing for residents, with major tourist areas needing to reserve at least 90% for locals. In designated areas facing demographic challenges due to tourism, new holiday let licenses will be halted, while existing licenses will remain valid. In zones where the 10% threshold has been met, license applications will only resume once the cap is raised.
The new legislation grants greater authority to local councils in the Canary Islands, although critics argue it will burden them with a significant workload to ensure compliance with health and safety standards. Councils now have an eight-month window to devise a plan for monitoring and enforcing the new regulations. Tourist-rental licenses will have a validity period of five to ten years, requiring owners to seek renewals. In areas with housing market strain, this renewal process will pose challenges for the current 70,000 license holders.
These changes stem from two years of protests in the Canary Islands and mainland Spain. Despite protests urging tourists to avoid destinations like Tenerife, the island experienced a surge in tourist arrivals over the summer.