Spain update - The END of tourist rentals in Spain? 

Refusing permits for short term rentals might go some small distance towards easing the problems in the private rental market but until they make 'occupation' of residential property illegal, there will be fewer and fewer people willing to buy and rent out properties to long term tenants. Demand will therefore outstrip supply and rents will, yet again, go up.

With the airbnb ban and people leaving their apartments empty, couldn't that lead to more squatters? I would think that would be a bigger problem than tourists.

I booked a one bedroom AirBnB in Valencia last year. It was an apartment with 3 bedrooms, shared kitchen and multiple bathrooms. The apartment was owned by an elderly Irish couple who lived in the apartment across the hallway. When they bring in the new no AirBnB rule, I think what will happen is this. The owners will take out a long let with a member of their family and then that relative will sublet it for short term holiday lets. In that way, they have the official paperwork showing it is being used as along let.

Puerto Rico is not going to be back off to Spain, at least anywhen soon. The news is not ridiculous and I'm an spaniard talking on behalf of a big chunk of Portoricans. Puerto Rico never was a colony till the US got it by war

Are there enough trash bins on these beaches?

At the moment over 50% of Airbnb in Barcelona already do not have a licence. It hardly seems to be an effective deterrent.

Some of my Spanish friends said that it’s someone’s job to pick it up 🫣 I was gob smacked and what’s really scary is they were serious 🤪😜🤪😜🤪😜🤪🤷🏻‍♂️

Puerto Rico happens to be a Commonwealth of the U.S. It's under U.S. jurisdiction. Any attempt to break away from that status would upset not only the State Department, but just about half of its citizens who'd like PR to become the fifty-first state.

When I lived in Benalmadina a Spanish man, likely in his fifties, threw his empty pack of cigarettes down and it bounced off my foot. I pointed out, in Spanish, there was a waste bin not far away, and he yelled it was his right to just discard it, I should keep my nose out of his business etc. There are litter louts in Britain, and likely in many places all over the world, but that doesn't make it right. It's disappointing when this happens, but not unusual. I've seen children pulling up flowerbeds and chucking the flowers/soil into fountains, whilst parents nearby ignore what's happening so they can eat in peace. It wasn't just a one off, it happened on a regular basis. Incredibly frustrating and costly for the Council.

It’s the same type who will be going to the Glastonbury festival. Many will turn up with tents and just dump them. Last year there was nearly 2000 tent just dump, plus rubbish.

Of course iam Spaniard is absolutly necesary the prihibition of touristic rent homes and apps for this in Spain for law

Trust me you do not want Puerto Rico. If American citizen has a thought and say we would like to get rid of the territory. Nothing but a money pit for the American taxpayers.

I love Bilbao. I was so impressed. What they have done to turn the heavily industrialised port into a fabulous cultural spot is only understood by going there. I did see it many years ago when the rebuilding was in process and you could see what the architects and developers had to deal with. The Guggenheim has done a lot to raise the profile, but the city as a whole is great. I stayed above the city in a Casa Rural with fabulous views. No air bnb thank you!

Sounds a bit Cuban, Neighbourhood Watch Committees. It should purely a matter for the flat owners what terms they agree to buy the flats on and what they can do with them.

There is a housing shortage, but not for natives, but housing of migrants. Be careful what they wish for, paying customers or them paying through taxes for migrants to be housed.

Hi Stuart, I have been following your videos, although not live. With regards to short term rental for tourists, the government could put a tourist rental price gap with a higher percentage tax for those flat/homeowners renting to short term tourists. Sounds harsh, but it protects inhabitants seeking a place to live .

As a Surfer who used to visit Bilboa in the late 90’s with North wind blowing you could smell that city long before seeing it…….

I have to say you see much more rubbish thrown into the roadside and verges in Spain than in the UK. Spanish folk are not very environmentally aware ( IMHO ). Also dog phoo, its everywhere, its rarely picked up - some 're-education' needed ( ie BIG fines ).

some people are so lazy or ignorant they drop a paper cup or similar only 2 m away from a bin. And some dog owners are just as lazy.They pick up the offending matter but just leave the little plastic bag right there,again sometimes only metres away from a bin. We live on a fairly busy road ad it is not uusual for me to pick up takeaway iitter that has been chucked out a car window. Surely its just as easy to take it home.

Hi Stu, Regarding the housing and Airbnb situation, why don’t these municipalities or maybe even the national government look at all the ways they could significantly incentivize both new housing development as well and rebuilding and repurposing existing housing that remains unused or empty. It seems there’s a lack of imagination amongst those in charge and they’re clearly taking a swipe at a large low-hanging fruit that might backfire on them. Keep up the good work! Jim in Pozuelo

Does Spain have issues with empty office buildings like in the US, from prevalence & permanent shift to remote work?

Just build more houses. Give more security and tax incentives to landlords to long rent property

Bat, bi, hiru, lau, casco viejo, Bilbao. Riau riau. Bat is "one" in Basque. 40 years ago Bilbao was just disgusting. It chaged a lot for good and rapidly.

Thanks, Stu! We live in Valencia (la Ciudad), and in the building where we're renting, the flat upstairs became available. The flat owners in the building decided to sell it to a local couple without listing the flat on Idealista or elsewhere. We see many fliers on buildings with ads for flats that are not listed on Idealista. I believe many people here are tired of AirBnB / STRs. Question about owners keeping flats empty - As I understand it, before last year, property taxes on these properties was at a 50% rate. La Ley de la Vivienda last year changed it to 150% (I believe). What if the government placed property taxes on empty flats to 200% or even 500%? Would that encourage more flat owners to sell empty flats? Thanks!

Bilbao great city ,but for me it has to be Salamanca every time ,totally stunning city .

To the guy in Huntington Beach California USA. Im from Huntington beach, now residing in Hesperia California. Are you aware everyone goes to the snow in Big Bear and Wrightwood and totally destroy the areas every winter?They trash entire mountain communities every wintr weekend. Wish we were better, but we aren't.

the low life were just ordinary local spaniards

It's not over Tourism that Spain has to fear .. it's the endless flow of EU citezens that have the right to move to Spain without proof of finances..

Thanks Stuart 😊

yeah! Not getting this zero VAT thing......what is 2-5% savings when Food products have risen 30+%. Ok, it is something but.....not enough for me to return me (and millions like me) back to pre pandemic life.

yes we have an apartment in Spain bur air bnb is now getting to be a nuisance people coming and going all times of the night leaving keys outside the block on the walls how many now have keys to our main entrance now people sneaking up to our roof and sleeping there also electric scooters now left in apartments for renters to use surely this must make our home insurance invalid if thier was to be a fire?

The idea of Puerto Rico reverting back to Spanish rule is not as crazy as it sounds. The fellow Caribbean island of Martinique is a former French colony that is now a department of France with the same rights as responsibilities of any other French department.

Thanks Stuart

11:15 Well...I prefer an empty apartment more than an apartment rented by drunk, loud, disrespectful and annoying tourists, making life hard for the local residents 🤔 ❤from Barcelona 🇪🇦

In the past month three different families we know have spent their holiday in Spain. All three can’t believe how bad they were treated and the difference from previous years. The Spanish are beginning to get a terrible reputation. Very sad.

It is known that some Puerto Ricans want to become again a Spanish province (Spain did not treat their territories as colonies but as part of Spain, with equal citizenship rights). Many Puerto Ricans feel discriminated in the US framework too. Therefore, It is not a ridiculous idea as it sounds, although it is a remote possibility. It is not Spain pushing the idea, but a sizeable part of Puerto Ricans! Cuba and Puerto Rico were lost in 1,898 (US intervention was indeed not a fair one and basically they provoked the war intentionally). There is a strong bond between Cuba, Puerto Rico and Spain till today, as (I repeat) Spain had them well integrated as Spaniards with full rights. Today, let the Puerto Ricans decide. The US should not have a say on what Puerto Ricans want to do with their country.

6:00 me Watching for Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico..

The ban should boost the hotel economy and they can build and expand while putting Spaniards to work at places like Hilton & Meliá Hotels.

Climate thing is a political issue to move voters, this the prove Stu, we saw that everywhere even in climate rallies

I doubt it Spain is a country of waiters/esses and tourism, remember who bulilt and sold /rents these houses to tourists, and foreign buyers, 10% purchase tax ontop, taxes again when you sell, expensive notaries, registro de propiedad, expensive bank commisions like the Caixa,, then theres the impuesto de estranjeros, when youve done all that and own a property, they make a tidy sum from them... whilst Sanchez waffles on for hours about nothing really to hundreds of politicians clapping for hours then go home... just my experience, but lovely friendly people too! Spain has huge debt more than GDP paying out 6 billion odd in just interest every month probably paying firstly high salries for all these thousands of politicians to sit and listen to Sanchez for hours. Iv e had my car dented by them because it had foreign plates on it twice, what do they want ?one year its more tourists the next they dont... More taxes at the airport or not make your mind up gov. I lke to listen to Argentinas Milei, he makes sense.

Stu.. Just build more hotels in coastal areas so that the tourists can use them that are cheap enough for people to rent per night... Job sorted.. Tony cuenca

Promenades and coastal areas damaged by storms need repair for Spanish tourist economy and leisure for locals. Suggesting you leave storm damaged areas unrepaired after mega storms like Gloria is absurd and ignorant.

Many years ago some canarians came up with the idea to raise money for maintaining and new development of TFS airport by taxing everyone who landed 1 euro. Nobody noticed 😂 and due to the millions landing every year they soon found the money 😂

Good! The Spanish government has to serve the interests of the Spanish population. They are sovereign, innit. Taking measures to make sure Spaniards have proper housing is paramount. They are not cons from a tiny sinking island in the North Sea.

It’s the end of Spanish holidays by travel agents etc in the uk . All going to Turkey which is far cheaper and more beautiful beaches etc .

Leave those people alone, flood tourism is dead mate.

Foraker Act In July 1898, during the brief Spanish-American War, U.S. Army forces occupied Puerto Rico at Guánica, on the island’s south side. Under the Treaty of Paris, which formally ended the war later that year, Spain ceded Puerto Rico, Guam, the Philippines and Cuba to the United States. The interim U.S. military government established on the island ended in 1900 after Congress passed the Foraker Act, which formally instituted a civil government in Puerto Rico. Having enjoyed considerable autonomy in the latter years of Spanish colonial rule, many Puerto Ricans bristled under the control exercised by the United States. In 1917, Congress passed the Jones-Shafroth Act, which granted U.S. citizenship to all Puerto Ricans and made Puerto Rican males eligible for the military draft; some 18,000 of the territory’s residents were subsequently drafted into World War I..... Tony cuenca

Thank you

Bilbao es la mejor ciudad de España para vivir, trabajar, estudiar, pasear por sus tascas y comer en sus restaurantes . Hospitales de alto nivel y universidad . Bellos pueblos y paisajes. Llueve como en Londres, hace frio, nuboso y el agua del mar esta fria.😮😂

Mate, 30 years ago Spain was full of rubbish dumps all along side of the roads. Don't forget, locals throw peanut shells and rubbish on bar floors.

More migrant housing

Puerto Rico, another place that could have been part of the British Empire. England sent a force of 68 ships and 7,000 troops to take San Juan but they failed. After the defeat, remnants of the military force set sail for Jamaica to become pirates sailing out of Port Royal. Ah ha...Jim Lad.

If you want an easy way to help with the housing crisis, Spain should remove a lot of the restrictions imposed on residential properties on rustic and rural areas. I own an old ruin that I am trying to build up but they tell me I can't construct anything on the land or get access to water, how am I supposed to build a home to live in if they won't let me build my home? Give me some slack! Right now you can't take house loans or mortgages on rural properties, so if people want to leave the city they have to do it all out of their own pockets! Help people find affordable homes! There are plenty available in the country, just let them buy and upgrade them! Give people an incentive to move out of cities!

Instead of leaving your Airbnb flat empty, why not rent it long term for a more affordable rate, you could still make money.

Totally ban of Airbnb and extreme seaech of ilegal airbnbs. RE buy only for at least 5 years residents Just do that

To all you English people living in Spain who are going to vote in next weeks UK GE by post from Spain may find that you won't receive your ballot papers in time especially from Birmingham City Council who are not sending Ballot papers out until the 26th June so looks like 000s will miss out casting their vote again IMO done on purpose.... Endof... Tony cuenca

Tax on food !! Socialism love it for the people 😡

big brother again left mob