Canarian Weekly
Unlawful renting
is hardly hit now
PRIVATE renting of apartments and villas is still a political hot potato. And for all the recent promises on crackdowns, it seems that little is actually being done.
The Canary Islands Government has been able to prosecute just six cases this year in relation to the illegal rental of holiday accommodation.
Four of these fines were for rentals in Fuerteventura and two were imposed on Gran Canaria properties, according to the Tourism Ministry.
The figures contrast with the allegations made a few years ago by groups of owners, who claimed that sanctions for this activity reached nearly 7,500.
The uncertain legal situation of rental accommodation in the Archipelago, with a decree in force but which the Government is committed to change, explains this sudden halt of legal activity, say hotel owners.
Fines for letting holiday rentals illegally can reach 60,000 euros, but the Association of Canarian Holiday rentals (Ascav) says the lack of legal notices is down to common sense.
The Government believes that this illegal sector is worth around 1.5bn euros every year, and that up to 100m euros in taxation is being avoided.
Unlawful renting
is hardly hit now
PRIVATE renting of apartments and villas is still a political hot potato. And for all the recent promises on crackdowns, it seems that little is actually being done.
The Canary Islands Government has been able to prosecute just six cases this year in relation to the illegal rental of holiday accommodation.
Four of these fines were for rentals in Fuerteventura and two were imposed on Gran Canaria properties, according to the Tourism Ministry.
The figures contrast with the allegations made a few years ago by groups of owners, who claimed that sanctions for this activity reached nearly 7,500.
The uncertain legal situation of rental accommodation in the Archipelago, with a decree in force but which the Government is committed to change, explains this sudden halt of legal activity, say hotel owners.
Fines for letting holiday rentals illegally can reach 60,000 euros, but the Association of Canarian Holiday rentals (Ascav) says the lack of legal notices is down to common sense.
The Government believes that this illegal sector is worth around 1.5bn euros every year, and that up to 100m euros in taxation is being avoided.
