In just two months, at least 1,500 apartments have been taken out of tourist use. It is a number that the city council is celebrating as a success of its own because it coincides with the implementation of its accommodation plan which, among other measures, limits licenses to this … Type of apartments for the benefit of neighbors and companies.
According to data collected by the Activities Agency (ADA), in collaboration with the College of Real Estate Administrators of Madrid (CAF Madrid), a total of 1,423 homes have stopped being allocated to tourist activity since last June. This number is increasing even more according to the Airbnb platform. This source reveals that from June until the beginning of November, up to 2,600 apartments were left for this type of use. This means that if they had 16,959 such apartments before the summer, now the number is 14,297.
Hence, the Urban Planning, Environment and Mobility Area, headed by Borja Carabante, links it to the shock plan that moves tourist apartments outside residential buildings to protect residents living in their usual homes. like? First, stop granting licenses for tourist accommodation distributed in residential buildings in the historic center to ensure an organized and legal tourist offer.
Secondly, restricting those outside the historic centre, i.e. granting tourist residence permits only to those who have independent access on the ground or first floor; Third: Granting the license only, and for a period of 15 years only, if the entire building contains tourist apartments. Fourth, provide urban incentives for those who convert office buildings into residential; Fifthly, protecting local trade by preventing its conversion into tourist apartments in the historic center and also into homes on the main commercial roads.
-
First notice of order, cessation and restoration of legality: without penalty
-
In case of non-compliance: €30,001
-
The second strict penalty if the irregular activity continues: €60,001
-
The third confirmed penalty if the operation continues: 100,001 euros
Another factor is added to this plan: the penalty system that the municipal government began implementing in April 2024. Until then, the fines were almost nominal. First, an order was issued to stop the activity, and then, if it was found that the owner continued to operate illegally, fines of 1,000, 2,000 and 3,000 euros were imposed.
However, for a year and a half now, the penalty regime has been tightened for owners whose properties operate as a residence for tourist use (VUT) without obtaining a license from the city council. In this way, the first penalty for non-compliance starts at €30,001, the second reaches €60,001, and the third, in case of continued violation, reaches €100,001.
The increase in fines is another factor that the metropolitan government links to the reduction in tourist apartments. According to the Airbnb platform, in one year this usage decreased by up to 19.8%: if in November 2024 there were 17,490 tourist apartments, in the same month of 2025 the number decreased to 14,297.
One list of tourist apartments with and without a license
In parallel, the City Council is collaborating with the Real Estate Managers Association of Madrid to collect information on tourist apartments that have been regulated, that is, that have a license for this purpose, as well as to inform their owners’ communities of the new regulations. In this way, the Board provides CAF Madrid with all the necessary documents and the Official College distributes them to the residents.
Moreover, on the other hand, the two parties are working to create a database that includes a list of tourist houses with the authorization of an official registered in the Community of Madrid, where the specific address of the property is specified, but without a license from the municipality. From this list, CAF Madrid will identify the owners of each of these apartments in which the housing activity for tourist use is supposed to be carried out in order to provide them with an information letter provided by the City Council.
Once delivered to these owners, they will be indicated in the shared access list. Owners and apartments where completely illegal activity is occurring will also be identified and will also be indicated in the list.
About The Author
