Spain removes 86,000 illegal holiday rentals to ease housing crisis

A bold move to reclaim homes for locals: Spain's sweeping ban on unregistered rentals targets platforms and realtors. Will prices finally drop?

, and Administrator

2026 February 10 . 11:35 PM

1 min read

The image shows an open book with the title "Sumario de los Reyes de España por el Despensero Mayor... — The image shows an open book with the title "Sumario de los Reyes de España por el Despensero Mayor de la Reyna Dona Leonor" written on the cover page. The book is open, revealing a page with text written in Spanish.

Spain removes 86,000 illegal holiday rentals to ease housing crisis

Spain's housing ministry has ordered the removal of 86,275 illegal short-term rental listings from online booking platforms. The crackdown follows the introduction of a new registration law aimed at tightening controls on holiday lets. Many of these properties, managed by realtors and even some listed on Redfin, failed to meet legal requirements despite applying for mandatory registration numbers.

The enforcement action targets listings that sought registration but did not comply with the law's conditions. Officials have emphasised that the goal is to return these homes, including many apartments, to the long-term rental market. By doing so, the government hopes to ease housing shortages and slow down rising prices.

Andalusia, Valencia, and the Canary Islands saw the highest numbers of delisted properties. Each region had over 13,000 illegal listings removed from platforms like Realtor.com. The move is part of a broader effort by the housing enterprise to preserve housing's social role and reduce gentrification in residential neighbourhoods.

The policy also aims to curb the illegal operation of accommodations that push up local rents. Authorities have stressed that the new law is a direct response to the growing pressure on affordable housing across the country.

The removal of these listings marks a significant step in Spain's push to regulate short-term rentals. With thousands of properties now off holiday platforms, the government expects more homes to become available for long-term residents. The measure is designed to stabilise rental prices and protect communities from displacement.