Airbnb must block more than 65,000 rental listings from the Spanish government. The providers have violated several rules. The rental platform has gone to court and says it will keep the ads online for the time being.
In total, 65,935 advertisements did not comply with the regulations for rentals in the tourism sector. Mandatory license numbers were not mentioned or were false. Some providers could not demonstrate whether the holiday home was managed by a company or individual.
The Spanish Ministry of Consumer Affairs demanded several months ago that Airbnb block the advertisements. Airbnb appealed this to the court. The High Court in Madrid ruled in favor of the government on Monday. The platform must remove at least 5,800 advertisements immediately.
Airbnb reports in a response that it will appeal again. The platform will leave all advertisements online until all legal procedures have been completed, a spokesperson told The New York Times.
The Spanish Minister of Consumer Affairs states that the measure is part of a broader approach to get the Spanish housing market out of the doldrums. “No economic interest takes precedence over the right to housing.”
Spain has been struggling with a housing crisis for years. In many cities, rental prices have doubled in recent decades, while wage increases have lagged far behind. Prices remain affordable for tourists. Many Spaniards point to mass tourism as the cause of the housing crisis. This often leads to protests.