Spain fines Airbnb €64m for advertising unlicensed properties
Spain has fined Airbnb €64 million (£56 million) for advertising properties that are not licensed for short-term rental. The penalty is final and cannot be appealed, with the company required to withdraw the unlicensed adverts. Authorities found that 65,122 Airbnb listings breached consumer rules, including promotions of properties without proper licenses and license numbers that do not match official registers. Spain's consumer rights minister, Pablo Bustinduy, emphasized that the law applies equally to all and will be enforced, stating that no company is above the law in housing matters.
This crackdown is part of Spain's broader efforts to regulate short-term lets and protect housing availability. Protests against Airbnb occurred in May before the summer season in cities such as Barcelona. The issue reflects a global trend, with major cities like Barcelona, New York, Berlin, Paris, and San Francisco imposing restrictions on Airbnb listings amid growing concerns over housing affordability. Airbnb, founded in 2007 and rising to popularity around 2014, has faced increasing regulations worldwide as cities seek to limit short-term rentals to protect local housing markets.
