Jávea is set to extend its freeze on tourist rental flats for another six months, but the moratorium won’t apply to villas and other single-family homes, which will once again be able to apply for licences.
Why flats stay under suspension
The municipal urbanism commission has voted unanimously to prolong the suspension of urban compatibility reports for tourist use dwellings (VUT) in multifamily buildings. The measure, now heading to the full council for ratification, aims to give the town more time to study the housing impact and social tensions generated by tourist rentals in apartment blocks.
A University of Alicante study concluded that the main problems are concentrated in flats and apartments, where tourist rentals drive up housing costs, pit neighbours against short-term visitors in shared spaces, and contribute to depopulation in central areas such as the Port and Old Town.
Why villas are treated differently
By contrast, the study found that detached homes, villas and terraced houses create fewer issues. They don’t involve shared areas, they belong to a different market segment, and they can even help desynchronise tourism by extending the season and sustaining jobs in beach areas such as Cabo de la Nao.
As a result, the council’s proposal only maintains the freeze for multifamily dwellings, while reopening the door for new tourist rental licences in single-family homes.
From boom to retrenchment
The latest move follows a first six-month moratorium introduced in September 2024 by the tripartite government of PP, Ciudadanos por Jávea (CpJ) and Vox, after pressure from opposition parties and local business groups. At that time, more than 6,000 dwellings – over 20% of the town’s housing stock – were already registered as VUT.
Since then, the number has fallen from 6,161 in August 2024 to 4,321 today, a drop of 1,840 units. Even so, councillors say more time is needed to strike a balance between tourism and the right to housing.
What happens next
If the council approves the extension, the University of Alicante’s study will be published in the DOGV and on the municipal website, and placed on public display for 30 working days. Residents will be able to review and comment on the findings before any long-term regulation is set in stone.
