Housing crisis in Spain: government blocks thousands of Airbnb
20 may 2025 в 03:37
It may be difficult to book accommodation through Airbnb in Spain in the near future. The government has announced a ban on thousands of property listings on the platform for rental due to violations of regulations.
Below, we will discuss everything we know at the moment about the housing crisis and the issue with Airbnb in Spain.
Depending on the location, cheaper accommodation through Airbnb in Spain can cost as little as 100 euros per day or even less.
In May 2025, the Spanish government ordered Airbnb to block 65,935 short-term rental listings on their platform. The Ministry of Consumer Affairs stated on May 19 that these listings must be removed as they did not include a license number or specify whether the property owner was an individual or a company. The Ministry also noted that other listings contained numbers that did not match the data provided by authorities.
In response to the order, Airbnb stated that they will appeal the decision. A company representative stated that they do not believe the Ministry of Consumer Affairs has the right to decide on short-term rentals and that they have a «indifferent methodology» regarding Airbnb listings that do not require a license to operate, according to CBS News.
Yes, it is still possible to book accommodation through Airbnb in Spain, but there may be a shortage of available properties. The country is in the midst of a housing availability crisis. Many people in Spain have protested against rising housing prices and rent, blaming short-term rental sites like Airbnb for contributing to this issue.
The cost of housing has significantly increased in popular tourist cities such as Madrid and Barcelona. Minister of Consumer Affairs Pablo Bustindui told journalists: «It is enough to protect those who do business from the right to housing», - adding that he wants to stop «illegality» and «lack of control» in the short-term rental business, according to Reuters
Below, we will discuss everything we know at the moment about the housing crisis and the issue with Airbnb in Spain.
Depending on the location, cheaper accommodation through Airbnb in Spain can cost as little as 100 euros per day or even less.
In May 2025, the Spanish government ordered Airbnb to block 65,935 short-term rental listings on their platform. The Ministry of Consumer Affairs stated on May 19 that these listings must be removed as they did not include a license number or specify whether the property owner was an individual or a company. The Ministry also noted that other listings contained numbers that did not match the data provided by authorities.
In response to the order, Airbnb stated that they will appeal the decision. A company representative stated that they do not believe the Ministry of Consumer Affairs has the right to decide on short-term rentals and that they have a «indifferent methodology» regarding Airbnb listings that do not require a license to operate, according to CBS News.
Yes, it is still possible to book accommodation through Airbnb in Spain, but there may be a shortage of available properties. The country is in the midst of a housing availability crisis. Many people in Spain have protested against rising housing prices and rent, blaming short-term rental sites like Airbnb for contributing to this issue.
The cost of housing has significantly increased in popular tourist cities such as Madrid and Barcelona. Minister of Consumer Affairs Pablo Bustindui told journalists: «It is enough to protect those who do business from the right to housing», - adding that he wants to stop «illegality» and «lack of control» in the short-term rental business, according to Reuters
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