The Spanish government has ordered Airbnb to remove more than 65,000 property listings from the site. This comes amid a growing wave of protests against short-term rentals.
According to the Spanish government, these properties were violating Airbnb’s own rules.
In a press release, Spain’s Ministry of Consumer Rights explained that the listings to be removed do not include their license numbers, while others do not specify whether the owner of the Airbnb is an individual or a company.
Pablo Bustinduy, Spain’s Minister for Consumer Rights, stated that the aim of the action was to end the “illegality” and “lack of control” that plague the short-term rental market in the country.
“Enough of the excuses. Enough of protecting those who turn the right to housing into a business in our country,” he told reporters, according to a report by Reuters. Airbnb was not the only one affected by the measure, which also targeted short-term rentals on Booking.
According to Reuters, many Spaniards blame these companies for creating an unsustainable rental market, reducing housing supply, and making rents unaffordable for residents.
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Airbnb stated that the company will appeal the decision by Spain’s Ministry of Consumer Rights, as it believes the agency does not have the authority to issue decisions on listings posted on its platform.
“The root cause of the affordable housing crisis in Spain is the lack of supply to meet demand. The solution is to build more homes – anything else is a distraction,” the company said in a statement to USA TODAY.
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