A new regulation empowering neighbourhood communities against short-term tourist rentals will take effect on April 3.
Under this change to the Horizontal Property Law, homeowners wishing to rent out their properties to tourists must first obtain explicit approval from their neighbours.
This reverses the previous system, where communities had to take legal action to ban tourist rentals.
The law aims to reduce conflicts caused by the rapid growth of short-term rentals, which have driven up housing costs and transformed entire neighbourhoods in cities like Barcelona, Madrid, Málaga, and Seville.
Municipal governments have struggled to regulate the sector, with some resorting to strict measures like license caps, moratoriums, and even cutting off utilities to illegal rentals.
This stricter legal framework is expected to become even tighter in July when tourist rentals must be officially registered.
While the regulation has been welcomed by many residents and local authorities, it raises concerns among property owners and investors, who are exploring legal loopholes to continue operating.
The impact of the new rules—whether reducing tensions or triggering legal disputes—remains to be seen.
