Spain demands Airbnb remove over 65,000 listings in crackdown on holiday rentals

Spain’s government has ordered Airbnb to remove more than 65,000 property listings on their website, over a failure to include correct information.

The country’s Consumer Rights Ministry said many of the listings it was asking to be removed did not mention whether they were owned by an individual or a company.

Others failed to include correct license numbers or match the details held by authorities.

This move is the latest action from the Spanish government aimed at addressing the housing affordability crisis in the country.

Recent months have seen thousands take to the streets protesting rising rents and house prices, as they point the finger at holiday rentals and over-tourism for depleting the available stock.

“Enough already with protecting those who make a business out of the right to housing,” Consumer Minister Pablo Bustinduy told reporters on Monday.

Bustinduy said the order for Airbnb to block listings involved the immediate removal of 5,800 properties from the site. Two subsequent orders would be issued until the nearly 65,000 removals are reached, he said.

Last year Barcelona announced a plan to close all of the nearly 10,000 properties licensed in the city as short-term holiday rentals by 2028.

Cities around the world have also made moves in recent years to crackdown on the growing number of properties being listed on Airbnb.

In 2023 New York blocked most rentals shorter than 30 days as well as limiting the amount of guests allowed to book a property to one – preventing families from using the short-term rentals.

Berlin, London and Amsterdam have also imposed restrictions aiming to limit the amount of properties listed on sites like Airbnb.

Spain’s government said the first round of affected properties it’s demanding be removed are located across the country, including in the capital, Madrid, as well as in the regions of Andalusia and Catalonia, whose capital is Barcelona.