Walter Finch
SPANISH Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has announced plans to remove 53,000 tourist apartments from rental platforms across Spain – with 6,000 of them located in Malaga province.
The Socialist leader made the announcement at a rally at the University of Malaga after visiting an affordable housing construction site.
Speaking to supporters, Sanchez declared that his government had detected ‘thousands of irregularities’ in properties listed as holiday rentals after analysing data from Spain’s unique rental registry.
The Prime Minister said these problematic properties would be ‘removed’ from the registry and converted into permanent rental accommodation for young people and families.
“We are going to demand the removal of 53,000 tourist flats from platforms for not complying with regulations, so they become permanent rentals for young people and families in this country,” Sanchez announced.
“That is governing for the people – that’s what we do from the PSOE.”
The move comes as Spain grapples with a severe housing crisis that has seen rents soar by 80% over the past decade, far outpacing wage growth.
Nearly half of all tenants now spend 40% of their income on rent and utilities – significantly higher than the EU average of 27%.
The tourism rental boom has been blamed for exacerbating the housing shortage, particularly in popular coastal destinations like the Costa del Sol, where locals and long-term residents struggle to find affordable accommodation.
During his Malaga visit, Sanchez also addressed other topics including the situation in Gaza and upcoming regional elections in Andalucia.
The policy forms part of a wider political strategy for Sanchez, who is seeking to regain ground following recent regional election losses.
Despite finishing second in the 2023 snap general election, he managed to form a coalition government and has made housing a key priority.
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Excuse me Mr Sanchez . How will you persuade the owners of those apartments to sell/donate/ agree to expropriation of their properties? Or have I missed something?