Alex Trelinski
OVER half of online tourist rental home listings in Alicante province are not publishing license details as required by law.
The figures have been compiled by tourist data analysts Mabrian.
They say that 56.8% of accommodation does not supply a Valencian region registration number which is mandatory.
READ MORE:
- TOURIST APARTMENTS IN SPAIN: Are landlords in danger of being de-registered?
- Spain orders Airbnb to block 65,000 illegal tourist apartments ahead of summer season
- Jet2 boss admits some Brits are worried about tourist protests in Spain
That is well above the national average of 38% but Mabrian points out that not putting a number on a listing does not necessarily mean a property is without a license.
Other areas of Spain appear to be far more compliant with 96.3% of tourist homes in Andalucia and Catalunya publishing details.
In contrast, 86.5% of ads in the Madrid region and 67.8% in the Balearics don’t declare a license number.
The big regional variations are attributed to what local administrations have done about the problem.
Mabrian’s marketing director, Carlos Cendra, said: “Mandatory requirements vary greatly between regions including the need to advertise tourist licenses in advertisements created on online tourist rental platforms.”
The Valencian Community, including Alicante province, does have such a requirement which is being widely flouted.
The area is one of the key destinations on the Mediterranean coast and some owners may just be ignorant over the law.
According to Mabrian, the type of owner — whether it’s a private individual, small holder or large holder — doesn’t seem to really know whether to publish a license number in their adverts.
“This suggests that it is law and monitoring of it that forces a landlord to follow the rules,” the study suggest.
The report goes on to call for stronger measures by regional governments and local councils to strengthen checks on legality.
That already is being done across the Valencia region with some authorities like Benidorm toughening up on inspections and fines.
