Approximately 15,200 illegal tourist accommodations in Madrid have been identified by a study from the Ministry of Social Rights, Consumer Affairs and the 2030 Agenda. For this reason, the Ministry is calling on the Madrid City Council to take immediate measures to remove illegal listings from online platforms and impose sanctions on owners who violate housing legislation.
According to the study, a total of 16,335 tourist homes are available in Madrid. However, only 1,131 of these have an official license under the city’s RESIDE program. This means that at least 15,204 listings operate without the necessary permit.
The Ministry has provided local authorities with a digital dossier containing detailed data – addresses, URLs, and owner information – to facilitate the identification of illegal rentals. The goal is not only to cease their illegal operation but also to return these properties to the long-term rental market, helping to reduce housing pressure in central neighborhoods of Madrid.
The data shows that areas such as Calle Mayor and Calle Preciados have a high concentration of unlicensed accommodations, a phenomenon that is repeated in many parts of the city, affecting entire apartment buildings and tourist zones.
Example of Barcelona and Ibiza
The Ministry calls on the Madrid City Council to follow the example of Barcelona, where thousands of illegal listings have been removed, as well as Ibiza, which has implemented strict measures to identify and remove illegal tourist accommodations.
At the same time, the Ministry has initiated disciplinary proceedings against large property managers and platforms that do not comply with regulations, such as the failure to include license numbers in listings or the misleading presentation of commercial rentals as private ones.
