Canary Islands set to launch new tourist crackdown including a ‘10-year ban’

A new law tightening controls on holiday rental properties in the Canary Islands is one step-closer to being passed - and it will see a ban on newly-built properties being used for tourist rentals for 10 years.

The Sustainable Regulation of Tourist Housing bill was presented to the Canary Islands parliament on Thursday, February 6. It will be up for debate before a final vote on the law takes place.

It aims to “restore balance in the housing market by implementing strict controls on the expansion of holiday rentals”, Canarian Weekly reports.

If it comes into force, it will mean newly constructed-properties will not be permitted to be used for tourist rentals for 10 years after being built. The law will also prevent entire residential buildings from being converted into holiday lets.

The legislation comes as the Spanish islands, a popular holiday destination, faces a housing crisis. Short-term holiday rentals have resulted in a housing shortage for local residents while simultaneously driving up rental prices. It was one of the driving factors behind anti-mass tourism protests which swept across the archipelago last year.

The new measures aim to “halt property speculation”, where housing prices are based on potential short-term rental income.

In a crackdown on tourist properties, article 5 section 1 of the new law states: “Residential properties intended for tourist stays must be at least ten years old, as verified through a declaration of new construction, a first occupancy licence, a municipal certificate, a cadastral certification, or any other legally valid documentation.”

The law will also see the end of so-called ‘fake hotels’ in residential areas, but placing limits on tourist rentals within residential