The Consell has initiated a file to sanction a foreign citizen for illegaly renting a tourist apartment in Ibiza. The institution has begun the process by which it will interpose 20.000 euros fine for illegally marketing the property, located in the town of Santa Gertrudis.

The housing, with capacity for ten people, was advertised through Airbnb. The vacation rental platform specified, as usual on the web, the availability calendar, the timetable for check-in and, in addition, the landlord offered cleaning service for 100 euros.

Collaboration with Airbnb

The Conseller of Territory of Ibiza, Mariano Juanhas explained that the identification of illegal accommodation has been possible due to the collaboration agreement signed with Airbnb in 2020 and through which the platform committed to provide “the necessary information to identify offenders who advertise through its website and remove the ads”.

In addition, the tourist inspection services of the Consell, in collaboration with the National Police, have been responsible for identifying the offender and initiating the sanctioning file. Thus, the processing of the same is opened for infraction in the matter of tourism for advertising, contracting and commercialization of housing without having submitted the corresponding responsible declaration of initiation of tourist activity or prior communication, explains the institution in a note.

Juan appreciates, in this case, “the important role of the Office Antriintrusismo which is dedicated not only to process sanctions, but also to propose “new lines of work to attack illegal tourist rentals, such as the agreement with Airbnb,” he says. An agreement, adds the conseller, which was a pioneer in Spain along with that of Barcelona and that allows “new tools to fight” against landlords who “take advantage of the island”.

The proposal to the Govern

However, the conseller considers that only through sanctions “will not fix the problem” and urges the Govern to close illegal tourist apartments: “The Govern has to accept the proposal we made in 2020 to close illegal tourist apartments when they are reported, it is the only way to send a strong message to violators and prevent this problem from continuing,” he says.