Panic in Spain as tourist crackdown sparks fury in Tenerife, Lanzarote and Gran Canaria | World | News
Owners of holiday rental properties in the Canary Islands have no intention of switching to long-term rentals, estate agents have warned. Last month, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced plans to demand platforms such as Airbnb remove 53,000 holiday homes across Spain, including 8,700 in the Canary Islands and 6,000 in the province of Málaga, after identifying irregularities in a bid to stem the country’s housing crisis.
But a spokesman for the Canary Islands property association harshly criticized the prime minister’s actions and claimed he had no intention of changing the way many property owners use their properties. According to Cristina García Chagrín, spokeswoman for the Canarian Association of Property Management Companies (ACEGI), Mr Sánchez “ignores the rights of property owners”, while legal uncertainty is the main reason why landlords are resistant to switching to long-term rentals, especially in tourist areas.
Ms. García Chagrín explained that this legal uncertainty has been exacerbated by Spain’s 2023 Housing Law, which many consider unfair and biased against owners.
“The rise in holiday rentals isn’t just about profits,” he said. “Because many owners feel unprotected. Experts have been saying this for years, they are left out of the equation.”
He also questioned why Mr. Sánchez insists on dictating how private property should be used. Canary Weekly.
“These houses belong to the owners and they will decide what to do with them,” he added.
In an explosive statement, Ms. García Chagrín claimed that many owners would prefer to sell or leave their properties vacant rather than renting them to residents or families. Instead, many choose medium-term rentals, such as for professionals or students, rather than long-term contracts.
“Maybe some will return to the housing market, but only because they want to, not because the government orders it,” he added. “They are playing with people’s property”
The news came last month as it emerged that small businesses across the archipelago were struggling to hire staff because exorbitant rent prices were driving them away. Many job seekers reportedly turn down opportunities if it means working in a field where most of their salary would be spent paying rent.
“An employee from Mogán, in the south of Gran Canaria, traveling to the capital faces danger of 120 kilometers [75-mile] “It’s a roundtrip every day,” said Enrique Hernández, president of the Canary Islands Business Platform. “Finding affordable housing near businesses is nearly impossible.”
