Cracking the whip

WITH the number of private holiday rentals in Mallorca increasing dramatically in the past few years, even tripling according to some estimates, the regional government is looking to tighten the regulatory framework overseeing the practice.

A new rule to be adopted in the coming months would see landlords, who rent their properties out to tourists lawfully, note every change of guests for a police report, even if this happens on a daily basis. 

Supporters of the new legislation argue that it simply brings private holiday rentals into the same legal sphere as that occupied by hotels, and claim that further regulation is needed to prevent such business being a simple front for tax evasion. 

The law will impact both chalets and holiday homes and theoretically improve security as there have been complaints among local residents who feel threatened by the ever-changing tide of tourists living in their neighbourhoods for extremely brief periods. 

Popular internet portals such as Airbnb and similar websites are largely responsible for the huge rise in tourist rentals and the law is battling to ensure that all the residences offered are officially registered with the authorities. More than 70,000 residences were offered for short-term rent in August alone, but less than 10,000 are properly registered as landlords capitalise on various legal loopholes.