Spain orders removal of 8,300 illegal tourist accommodation ads

Spain's Ministry of Social Rights, Consumer Affairs, and 2030 Agenda has ordered two digital platforms to remove 8,318 tourist accommodation advertisements that violate the Urban Leasing Law. The Ministry identified that these listings are being marketed as seasonal rentals despite allowing reservations of less than 31 days, which is the minimum duration required by recent legislation under Royal Decree-Law 29/2026.

The majority of these non-compliant listings are located in the Community of Madrid, accounting for 6,772 ads, with 6,523 specifically within the city of Madrid. The Directorate General for Consumer Affairs classifies these advertisements as potentially deceptive and unfair commercial practices.

Under European Digital Services regulations, the platforms will assume direct responsibility for these listings once notified. Failure to remove or block access to the advertisements could result in formal proceedings. This action follows previous enforcement measures, including a 64 million euro fine against Airbnb for similar regulatory non-compliance.