Barcelona freezes tourist rental licences

Photo: Paracon

The "Special Urban Plan" arrives amid concern surrounding the number of tourist rental properties in the city - and, indeed, the country. Officials are keen to control the situation to avodi tension between local residents and the holidaymakers who could be staying next door, disturbing residential neighbourhoods. The issue has also been raised on many occasions by the hotel industry, which is directly competing with landlords letting out their flats.

The move follows a similar moratorium annouced earlier this year, with the latest freeze appearing to extend beyond the end of 2014, as the new regulation is sorted. Spanish Property Insight notes that the plans will include better policing to shut down unlicenced rentals, with harsher punishments to be handed down too. Both of these could effect potential buyers looking to become impromptu landlords in the future.

There are currently 9,606 tourist rental licences issued across Barcelona.