The Spanish national government has introduced a bill to further regulate both holiday rentals and seasonal rentals. This will include a national register for short-term rentals.
Digital Desk for Rent Registrations
There will be a national portal/register in which landlords will be obliged to register a property or room. This obligation will apply to both holiday rentals and seasonal rentals advertised online. Platforms like Airbnb, as well as rental agencies, must ensure that ads are only placed with a valid registration number.
Registration process
Each rental object is given a unique registration number, issued by the property register or commercial register (e.g. for a boat). This number is required to offer on online rental services.
Information exchange
The system will share data such as the address of the rental property and the number of tenants monthly with national and European bodies, such as the Spanish Statistical Institute and Eurostat, to monitor the impact of short-term rentals on the housing market.
Regulation and control
Platforms must carry out regular checks to confirm that landlords are complying with the rules. If a landlord fails to comply, the registration number is suspended and platforms must remove the corresponding ads.
Obligation for landlords
Landlords must obtain and keep the registration number up-to-date, and update their rental information in a timely manner. They are also obliged to provide the authorities with all necessary information about the accommodation. For example, the maximum number of tenants, address, facilities, rental licence details, etc. The registration number must be renewed annually.
Preliminary decision
Of course, this is only a draft law, but it gives a clear direction towards which the legislation will evolve. Not only will there be yet another additional administrative burden for landlords, but platforms and rental agencies will also have to monitor compliance more closely and will be jointly responsible for the accommodation offered through them.
