Spanish government inspectors are to pose as tourists to try and flush out illegal holiday rentals in Majorca. Owners caught out will face fines of between €40,000 and €400,000 as it is deemed a very serious offence.
The new approach is all part of the clampdown on illegal holiday lettings which have caused a flood of complaints from residents who live in the apartment blocks full-time.
It is also being blamed for pushing up the price of residential lettings in the area.
Inspectors from Majorca’s island council will pretend to be clients. They will search the internet and advertisements for holiday lettings in residential apartment blocks in the capital and then “book” them as part of a so-called crash plan.
Renting out flats in multi-family homes in Palma has been illegal since 2018 in a move which was endorsed by the Supreme Court.
However, it continues to be a common practice.
The Insular Directorate of Transition and Tourism Management officers will pretend to be customers to detect irregular offers.
They will use credit cards will be used to reserve apartments under suspicion as if they were tourists through various marketing platforms.
Once they have detected the illegal vacation rental homes and get the address, the inspectors will visit the house in person to file an infringement report and continue with the relevant disciplinary proceedings.
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Majorca council has also created a new specific electronic complaint mailbox (lloguerturisticpalma@conselldemallorca.net) for homes that are marketed for unregulated holiday rentals in multi-family buildings in Palma.
The insular institution will start an awareness campaign on the crash plan in April.
In recent years, the emergence of new vacation rental technology platforms has transformed the sector and the neighbourhoods.
The employers’ association Habitatges Turístics (Habtur) of the Balearic Islands says the idea of undercover inspectors is great.
Manager, Maria Gibert said: “This is a measure that already works in Valencia and Barcelona with the aim that tourists do not cause inconvenience among residents.”
The association also wants automatic noise control installed in tourist flats which alerts the owner and police if there is too much disturbance.
The group has already met with Mallorca council to discuss this proposal and the possibility of promoting it on the island.
“We hope that it will have a deterrent effect and that the sanctions will be processed more quickly,” said Maria Gilbert.
