Update on Spain’s holiday rental laws

According to the Tourist Movement on Borders agency, Frontur, Spain received 13.7 million international visitors during the first quarter of 2018, a 6% increase on 2017 figures. With 1.4 million visitors choosing to stay in holiday rental accommodation, a healthy increase of 7% year-on-year, and that’s just the official figures. Taking into account that many short stay homes remain unregistered in Spain, we expect the actual figure to be much higher.

It’s been five years since the Spanish government excluded holiday rentals from the LAU (Ley Arrendamientos Urbano) and delegated the task of regulating the industry to its 17 regional governments. There are only a couple of the 17 autonomous communities that as yet haven’t regulated holiday rental accommodation. Find out the latest status in your region.

VALENCIAN COMMUNITY

Is it regulated? Yes under the original Decreto 92/2009 which was updated in 2015 Decreto 75/2015Since: July 2009, with the last amendment in May 2015Essentials: Owners must wait until they have registered to start rental activity, and have to start renting within two months of registration.Points to watch out for: If you manage five or more properties you must register as a Tourist Company. Further applications for registration in the districts of Ciutat Vella are suspended, whilst the government discuss the protection of environment and culture in the area.To register your property: Download the application forms and present your Declaración Responsable at a local tourism office, online with an electronic signature or at the post office. Owners must also now get permission from their local town hall before they can register.Documents required: Property escritura (title deed), First Occupation Licence, passport or DNI (national identity card), company escritura if you are registering as a rental management company.Note: Registration codes for private owners start VT and managers and businesses EGVT. Followed by a code for each province.The Valencian government have produced an excellent guide for holiday rental owners to help them get registered