Island government revised rules on holiday rentals
Mallorca’s Island Council has once again improved its holiday rental plan and modified the rules introduced on 19 January. It is now somewhat stricter in terms of rental in coastal communities and a little less strict in places in the interior of the island. The Balearic Environment Commission now has one month to approve the paper so that the zoning plan can be definitively approved before 1st of August, when the one-year moratorium on the island expires. In detail, the following changes result:
In seven smaller villages in the interior of the island is the holiday rental - unlike previously provided - now longer than 60 days allowed. These are S’Esgleieta (Esporles), Ruberts (Sencelles), Es Carritxó (Felanitx), Ses Coves (Deià), Ariany, Es Llombards (Santanyí) and Randa (Algaida). Instead of being “saturated,” these places are classified as “vulnerable” in the new zone plan. The fact that the holiday rental is to be allowed there, is because of technical reasons, says the authority.
All other changes to the original zone plan are aggravations. This is also why the Construction and Traffic Dept. of the Island Council, Mercedes Garrido, said on Monday: “We have once again tightened the rules on holiday rentals in Mallorca.” Particularly affected are the municipalities of Marratxí and Muro. Thus, the holiday rentals in Muro and Playa de Muro in the future will only be allowed in single-family homes. In apartments in blocks of flats, it will be completely prohibited. Originally, the community was classified as “not saturated,” which would have allowed for renting apartments. The area Casetes dels Capellans is declared an exclusion zone, where the rental is not allowed.
In Marratxí the renting of houses is allowed throughout the year, while apartments can only be rented for a maximum of 60 days. In the touristically “mature” areas such as Palmanova, Magaluf, Santa Ponça or Peguera, where the letting of both houses and apartments will be permitted 60 days per year in the future, only in the case of Arenal de Llucmajor will be a change in form of a tightening: There is only the rental of single-family homes allowed, but not for apartments in blocks of flats. One last change concerns Port de Sóller. Originally classified as “not saturated”, renting should in future be limited to 60 days per year.
In Palma, where holiday rentals in apartments will be completely banned, the small and medium-sized stores meanwhile fear sales losses in the summer. In recent years, they have benefited in particular from tourists who were not housed in hotels, but in private homes, according to Rafael Ballester, chairman of the retail association Afedeco.
The portal Airbnb wants to take out at least 1000 apartments in Palma from their portfolio.
Source: Mallorca Magazin
