Mallorca illegal lets: hoteliers push register checks
On Monday, 31 August, hotel groups in Palma, Mallorca, called for property-register checks to be used against illegal short-term holiday lets. They say the move would give tourism authorities reliable information about homes used for tourist rentals, their features and the activity taking place in them. The Federación Empresarial Hotelera de Mallorca, the hotel federation of Ibiza and Formentera, and the Menorca Hotel Association say the plan responds to a housing emergency and growing pressure on housing stock.
Checks on a home's legal status
The groups want checks used under the national system to establish a home's legal status brought into tourism procedures. They say a certificate from the Property Register could let owners show, simply and objectively, that a home meets the legal requirements.
The aim is to keep homes that fail those requirements from improperly entering the tourist market. The hotel groups insist they are not seeking new conditions, but an easier way for tourism authorities to verify rules already in force.
One ID for every short-term let
They also want the registration number set out in European rules added to the tourism procedure. Every home rented for a short stay should have one reliable, unique identifier, whatever the purpose of the stay, the groups say.
They argue that this would stop information about one property being split between different bodies. They have called for cooperation and technical links between the responsible authorities and the Colegio de Registradores, the body representing property registrars.
The groups say Supreme Court ruling 620/2026 of 19 May opens the way for the Balearic Islands to bring tourism rules into line with European requirements and strengthen advance checks on whether homes are legal.
Topics: Court cases · Housing · Tourism · Politics · Economy
Source: Europa Press / Mallorca.com
What the removal of a listing means
A removed listing shows, first of all, that the accommodation is no longer being offered through that Airbnb listing. Whether a property actually lacks authorisation, and whether any other breaches have occurred, are separate questions for the relevant authorities. Nor can the removals be taken to mean that the properties concerned are no longer let to tourists.
Since June 2025, Airbnb has required a registration number for new short-term rental listings in Mallorca. The cooperation between the platform and the Consell de Mallorca therefore supplements official oversight; it does not replace it. Note: This is not legal or tax advice.