Almost every week I read about new measures the Balearic regional government is planning to introduce to clamp down on holiday rentals, which it blames for pushing up rents for locals.
The latest measure envisages forcing owners who rent out their properties to demonstrate they are not guilty of illegal holiday rentals. So, if I understand it right, you will be assumed guilty until proven innocent, rather than the other way around.
The measure will be included in the Tourism bill currently going through the regional parliament, and was announced by Pilar Carbonell in the Director General of Tourism in the Balearics, who admitted that the authorities struggle to catch owners red-handed, so this new measure will shift the burden of proof onto owners, who will have to produce a valid rental contract to justify rental activity.
In debate The left-wing Podemos party parliamentarian just talked about the holiday-rental “bubble” and “thousands of illegal holiday homes” being offered for rent online, blaming them for driving up prices and pricing families out of neighbourhoods.
Others criticised the new measure as toothless, pointing out that the government has not dedicated any more money in the budget to policing holiday rentals.
I also hear the new Tourism Law will set fines for illegal rentals at between €20,000 and €40,000, and continue to prohibit rental licences for all apartments.
