Spain to Reclassify 53,000 Tourist Properties

Sánchez Proposes Converting 53,000 Short-Term Rental Homes into Long-Term Housing

In a recent move that could significantly affect Spain’s real estate market, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has revealed plans to reassign some 53,000 homes currently seeking to become tourist rentals, and convert them into long-term housing. The aim: to make more housing available for young people and families.

Key Measures Announced

Withdrawal of Tourist Rental Status
The government intends to remove ~53,000 homes from the Tourist Rental Registry, which have requested to be tourist or vacation rentals. These properties would be reclassified as permanent rentals for residential use.
Registration & Enforcement via the Unique Rental Registry
Since July 1st, short-term tourist rentals have been required to register in the Registro Único de Arrendamientos (Unique Rental Registry). Homes that fail to meet legal requirements are being stripped of their tourism-rental status.
Purpose: Improving Access for Young People & Families
According to Sánchez, the change is intended to “put order” into what has been a chaotic short-term rental market — one which, he argues, inflates rent prices and limits the availability of housing for families and younger generations. The conversion of tourist flats into long-term housing aims to alleviate these pressures.
Legal Irregularities Identified
As part of the registry review, the government has claimed to discover widespread violations among many homes listed for tourist or vacation rental purposes—for instance, lacking the required legal status or failing to register properly. These irregularities are among the grounds for rejecting or revoking tourism status for many of the homes.
Mass Removal of Listings
Around 53,800 listings on platforms advertising tourist-rental properties have been ordered removed for failing to comply with registration requirements. From the approximately 336,497 total applications received, 264,998 were for tourist-use properties, and roughly 20.3 % of those have been revoked.
Regional Breakdown of Revocations
The autonomous communities most affected include:
- Andalusia (~16,740 homes)
- Canary Islands (~8,698)
- Catalonia (~7,729)
- Galicia (~2,640)
- Balearic Islands (~2,373)
- Madrid (~1,531)
Objective: Safeguarding Social Housing Function
The government’s stated goal is to defend what it calls the social function of housing. They argue that unchecked tourist rentals displace families from neighbourhoods, reduce affordable housing supply, and distort local housing markets. Through legal mechanisms like the registry and a “Digital Single Window” (Ventanilla Única Digital), the Ministry of Housing seeks to redirect certain properties back into the residential rental market.

Implications & Considerations

For Property Owners & Investors
Those who intended to rent their property as short-term tourist accommodation may face revocation of that status and thus constraints on their business model. Compliance with registration and municipal and regional regulations will become more critical.
For the Rental Market
If successful, this could increase supply of long-term rentals, which might ease pressure on rents, particularly in regions with high levels of tourist housing demand. On the other hand, potential legal pushback, delays in implementation, or conflicts with existing contracts might complicate matters.
Legal & Regulatory Uncertainty
The announcement opens questions: What exact criteria are used to revoke status? Are property rights or existing rental agreements impacted? What compensation or transitions are foreseen? As always, implementation details will be critical.

Conclusion

SGM Abogados is monitoring these developments closely. The proposed reclassification of tens of thousands of homes from tourist to permanent housing marks a significant shift in Spain’s approach to the housing crisis—one that in the words of Sanchez, balances the demands of tourism with the urgent need for affordable homes for locals.

If you are a homeowner considering tourist rentals, an investor, or someone renting long-term, this could affect your plans. Please get in touch if you want to assess how these changes might apply to your property or situation.