Benalmadena council hacks off illegal tourist flat lockboxes from public railings

Fresh action against illegal tourist apartment key safes has taken place in Benalmadena after council workers removed several lockboxes fixed to public railings in busy residential areas.

Town hall officials said the metal boxes had been attached without permission and formed part of unauthorised use of public street furniture connected to holiday rental properties.

Tourist flat crackdown reaches Benalmadena streets

Many tourist flat owners use self check-in systems instead of greeting guests personally, allowing visitors to collect keys at any hour without arranging face-to-face handovers. Many of the boxes carry apartment numbers, labels or coded markings allowing holiday guests to identify which keys belong to their rental property.  Several had been attached directly to railings and other public structures across the town.

Council teams removed the devices following complaints linked to the growing spread of tourist accommodation in residential neighbourhoods.

Councillor Presi Aguilera said public spaces cannot be used for private commercial activity and confirmed inspections will continue in areas with large numbers of tourist apartments.

Residents voice frustration over holiday rentals on Costa del Sol

The ongoing growing anger surrounding tourist flats continues relentlessly across parts of Costa del Sol, with residents regularly raising concerns online about housing pressure, neighbourhood disruption and the changing character of residential districts.

Heated discussions on social media and local forums connected to Malaga province have increasingly focused on the rapid growth of short-term holiday accommodation in towns popular with visitors.

Benalmadena joins several Spanish municipalities attempting to tighten controls on the tourist rental sector through inspections, registration checks and enforcement measures targeting illegal activity, although Benalmadena appears to be among the first areas to publicly remove the lockboxes. 

Council representatives said further operations could take place in other parts of the town as authorities continue to make efforts to keep public areas free from unauthorised installations linked to tourist apartments.