Britons using Airbnb to rent out apartments in Majorca have been critical of new licensing laws imposed by the local government, banning anyone on the Balearic Islands from renting out their properties without a licence. Those who do not comply face fines of up to €400,000 ($469,851), with companies charged with a similar penalty if clients are permitted to advertise without a valid licence. The British government has said it will review its policy after receiving feedback and is considering whether to introduce legislation that would ban people from advertising short-term rentals or offering them for rent.
Britons using Airbnb to rent out apartments in Majorca have been critical of new licensing laws imposed by the local government, banning anyone on the Balearic Islands from renting out their properties without a licence. Those who do not comply face fines of up to €400,000 ($469,851), with companies charged with a similar penalty if clients are permitted to advertise without a valid licence. Airbnb says that the Balearic economy had an injection of over €550 million in 2016 from home-sharing through its platform, with local hosts earning around €6,300 by renting out their properties for 40 nights.