Since 1 July 2024, Royal Decree 1312/2024 has required all short-term holiday rentals to be listed in a national register, managed by the Spanish Land Registry. However, according to Silvia Blasco, president of FEVITUR, the system has effectively excluded around 45% of legally registered holiday homes already recognised by regional authorities, as she explained in an interview with Economist & Jurist.
This high exclusion rate is creating significant legal uncertainty, as many properties that meet all regional requirements are not being recognised at the national level. “The validation process does not respect regional registries. Arbitrary criteria are being applied that override existing legal status,” Blasco explains.
Blasco also warned of the direct consequences for the holiday rental market: at least 100,000 fully legal homes are unable to operate simply because they haven’t been granted a national registration number, which is now essential for listing on platforms like Airbnb or Booking. In her words: “Without that code, you literally can’t rent legally. And we’re talking about a massive financial loss at the peak of the summer season.”
“We’re not the problem in housing access — we’re part of the solution”
FEVITUR’s president firmly rejects the idea that short-term rentals are responsible for Spain’s housing crisis. According to her, “holiday rentals make up just 0.6% of the overall housing stock — a figure that’s remained stable for five years”. She argues the sector is being made a scapegoat for broader policy failings.
She also stresses the need for regulations tailored to each destination: “You can’t apply the same rules to a city, a coastal town and a rural area. These are fundamentally different models that require differentiated responses.”
A push for professionalisation from within the sector
Blasco supports the idea of a national register in principle — as a tool for control, traceability and transparency, in line with EU directives. FEVITUR has long championed this step as a means of professionalising the sector and tackling the black market.
However, she is critical of how the rollout is being handled: with no automated connection to existing regional databases and no formal appeals process, many operators are left with no clear guidance after being refused a national registration number.
She also calls for ongoing institutional dialogue that reflects the sector’s diversity: from sole traders and individual hosts to property managers, health travel companies and platforms. As she puts it, “FEVITUR must be a federation for everyone — no one should be left out.”
Thousands of homes still without a registration code as summer begins
With the high season underway, the stakes are high. FEVITUR warns that if 70% of properties fail to secure their registration number in time, the sector could lose as much as €5 billion in revenue over the summer. Since January, more than 20,000 applications have been submitted — but registry offices are overwhelmed and struggling to process them.
What does this mean for property managers and owners?
- Any regional-legal property without a national registration code will lack visibility on booking platforms — it simply cannot operate.
- The absence of clear rules or accessible procedures increases the risk of penalties and lost revenue.
- This demands coordinated efforts between government authorities and tech providers to deliver compliance tools and operational support.
At Roomonitor, we’re closely monitoring these regulatory changes. We believe it’s crucial to provide technology that empowers managers and owners with greater control, visibility and traceability — without compromising on professional standards or the quality of guest experience.