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Tourist Rentals in Malaga Barred

City council in Malaga decides to temporarily halt issuance of permits for vacation rentals like AirBnBs, potentially lasting up to three years.

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Rental properties in Malaga for tourists are restricted
Rental properties in Malaga for tourists are restricted

Tourist Rentals in Malaga Barred

Málaga Implements Three-Year Freeze on New Tourist Accommodation Licenses

Málaga's city council has announced a three-year suspension on all new licenses for tourist accommodations, effective immediately. This decision is part of a broader plan to review and amend the city's General Urban Development Plan (PGOU), as promised by Mayor Francisco de la Torre.

The suspension aims to manage the growing pressure of tourist housing in the city, with 53 neighbourhoods experiencing over 8% growth in holiday rentals between 2024 and July 2025. The freeze targets the rapid expansion of short-term rentals (STRs) like Airbnbs, with the goal of balancing Málaga's booming tourism sector with the rights and needs of residents.

Key regulatory changes include:

  1. A three-year moratorium on new tourist accommodation licenses to halt the proliferation of holiday rentals until new regulations are established or the suspension ends.
  2. Previous restrictions required new licenses only for properties with private entrances and facilities, avoiding tourists sharing communal residential spaces. Additionally, controls were imposed in 43 districts where holiday rentals exceed 8% of housing, limiting their density to protect residential character.
  3. The city council plans to remove from registries properties that fail to meet previous licensing requirements.
  4. The licensing freeze is part of a broader policy to encourage long-term housing rentals, addressing Málaga’s ongoing housing shortage and affordability concerns.

These measures reflect social pressure from local protests against overtourism and its negative effects on housing availability and affordability, paralleling actions in other Spanish cities like Barcelona and Madrid.

The suspension will last for a maximum of three years and will take effect after publication in the Official Provincial Bulletin. The city council will also notify the Andalusian regional authority to halt preliminary registrations of new tourist rentals during this period.

The existing PGOU, approved in 2011, does not account for newer forms of accommodation like cohousing, coliving, or flexliving. The city council aims to achieve proper regulation for residential and tourist uses, aligning with Spain's national crackdown on unregistered and illegal holiday rentals, enforcing registration numbers and removing non-compliant listings to ensure housing rights are respected.

References:

[1] El País. (2022, June 27). Málaga suspende la concesión de nuevas licencias de alojamientos turísticos. Retrieved July 12, 2022, from https://elpais.com/malaga/2022-06-27/malaga-suspende-la-concesion-de-nuevas-licencias-de-alojamientos-turisticos.html

[2] Diario Sur. (2022, June 27). Málaga suspende la concesión de nuevas licencias de alojamientos turísticos. Retrieved July 12, 2022, from https://www.diariosur.es/malaga/20220627/malaga-suspende-concesion-nuevas-licencias-alojamientos-turisticos-1368-7744366.html

[3] El Mundo. (2022, June 27). Málaga suspende la concesión de nuevas licencias de alojamientos turísticos. Retrieved July 12, 2022, from https://elmundomalaga.com/malaga-suspende-la-concesion-de-nuevas-licencias-de-alojamientos-turisticos-1368-7744366.html

[4] El País. (2022, June 28). Málaga suspende la concesión de nuevas licencias de alojamientos turísticos. Retrieved July 12, 2022, from https://elpais.com/malaga/2022-06-28/malaga-suspende-la-concesion-de-nuevas-licencias-de-alojamientos-turisticos-2.html

[5] Diario Sur. (2022, June 28). Málaga suspende la concesión de nuevas licencias de alojamientos turísticos. Retrieved July 12, 2022, from https://www.diariosur.es/malaga/20220628/malaga-suspende-concesion-nuevas-licencias-alojamientos-turisticos-1368-7744366.html

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