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TOURISM

Valencia to stop issuing licences to Airbnb-style lets as rents soar past €1,000

Valencia City Hall has unanimously voted to suspend the granting of new licences for tourist accommodation for at least a year, with the potential to be extended to one more, as average rents in all city districts are now over €1,000 a month.

Published: 30 May 2024 09:11 CEST
Valencia to stop issuing licences to Airbnb-style lets as rents soar past €1,000
Property prices in Valencia have increased exponentially, in part due to the proliferation of holiday lets. Photo: Northleg Official/Unsplash

City mayor María José Catalá announced at the end of last week that this was the decision she wanted to take now she has received the support of all the parties that make up the local government.

The suspension will affect anyone wanting to rent out temporary accommodation to visitors, specifically located in buildings of other homeowners and commercial spaces. It will not affect apartments in buildings where all the accommodation has been reserved for tourists.

In the old fishermans’ neighbourhood of El Cabanyal and in the historic centre of the Ciutat Vella, these licences have already been suspended, but now the rule will apply to the entire city and surround areas, including El Palmar, El Saler and El Perellonet, Benimàmet, Carpesa, Poble Nou, and La Punta.

READ ALSO – Moving to Valencia: A guide to the best neighbourhoods to live in

It’s important to note that this new ruling will not affect anyone who has been issued a tourist licence already, this is only for anyone applying for one for the first time. It will also not affect hotels, entire apartment blocks or tourist apartments planned on the first floors with independent access.

The Town Hall has cited the reason for its decision is down to “uncontrolled growth at the expense of the housing stock, which threatens to break the balance that guarantees that Valencia is a city to live in with a quality urban environment”.

The amount of tourist accommodation in the city has also caused rental costs to skyrocket, creating problems for the local population who are struggling to be able to afford to live in the centre.

Valencia has just registered the highest rental prices ever recorded, after costs rose a total of 19.14 percent in just one year, according to the Report on the Valencia Real Estate Market for the first quarter of 2024 by the College of Real Estate Agents (COAPI).

The average rental cost is now up to €13.50 per square metre, meaning the average monthly price exceeds €1,000. In two of the most popular areas – l’Eixample and Ciutat Vella, the average rental price already exceeds €2,000 per month.

The most expensive neighbourhood to rent in is Eixample, with an average of €2,030, compared to €1,132 for the cheapest area of Jesús.

The study also revealed that home purchase and sale prices, which have increased by 10.61 percent in one year with an average of €2,130 per square metre, are the highest they’ve been since 2009.

Spokesperson for COAPI Valencia, Vicente Díez, showed his concern for the market saying that the situation is “more than worrying and alarming”.

Valencia is not the only Spanish city that has suspended granting licences due to overtourism and issues with availability of housing.

Barcelona hasn’t issued any new licences since around 2015 and San Sebastián in the Basque Country has had its ruling in place since March 2023. The town of Altea in Alicante also suspended them earlier this year. 

Many cities also have imposed restrictions on tourist accommodation, either in certain areas or in particular types of buildings, including Madrid, Toledo, Seville, Palma de Mallorca and Tarifa.

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For members

PROPERTY

What you should know before hiring a gardener in Spain

If you're lucky enough to have a garden in Spain, but need some help managing it in a hotter climate, you might consider hiring a gardener, but there are several things to be aware of before you do.

Published: 27 June 2024 15:37 CEST
What you should know before hiring a gardener in Spain

Around 65 percent of the population of Spain live in apartments, so don’t often have their own gardens, but if you’re one of the lucky 35 percent who live in a house and do have your own green patch, you may be wondering how to manage it.

If you’re not green-fingered or you don’t have the time for the upkeep of your garden, you could consider hiring a gardener to manage it. Or perhaps you’re new to Spain and you’re not used to the types of plants that grow well here or don’t understand why you can’t get a lush green lawn, then you might need some help. 

READ ALSO: How to get involved with urban gardens in Spain

Gardeners can provide many different services in Spain, from designing gardens and cutting hedges to fertilising plants, cutting down dead trees and even controlling pests.

But before you hire one, there are several things you need to keep in mind and consider.

Check your home insurance

Gardeners are exposed to different dangers during their work. Therefore, it is important that you have adequate insurance in case of any unforeseen event on your property. In this way, both parties will be covered in case of accidents and misfortunes.

This will usually be listed on your original home insurance policy, but if in doubt you should contact your provider to find out what you’re covered for and what you’re not. You should also find out what type of work and health insurance your gardener has too. 

Ask for references

Before hiring a professional gardener, the first thing you should do is ask for references. It’s important that you can trust the person working in your home – even if they’re only in the garden. You also want to find someone reliable, who isn’t going to take advantage of you and keep going around the corner to the local bar for a cerveza (beer), and not able to finish the work on time. It’s not uncommon to find cowboy gardeners who don’t really know what they’re doing or who simply leave a job halfway through because they get a better offer. 

If you can’t get personal recommendations from friends, you can ask around on local online forums or ask gardeners for images of their previous jobs to learn how they work and what they can do. 

READ ALSO: Do I need a permit to put a shed or wooden hut in my garden in Spain?

Check credentials and licences

It’s important to check the credentials and licences of anyone you hire. The credentials will serve as a reference to ensure that they are a qualified professional. For example, do they have their driver’s licence? While this is not essential it may be important if they need to reach you without public transport and bring their own tools. Do you they have their own registered business or are they signed up to the autónomo system because they’re self-employed? While some of these factors may not affect you, others will and you could potentially be paying someone under the table, without them declaring their taxes. 

Define the tasks that need to be carried out

You need to be sure of what you want doing in the garden. It’s no good just telling someone to simply take care of it, you need to lay out the tasks you want carried out. What changes do you want? Will they be in charge of removing pests as well, or just taking care of the watering and planting? How often do you need them and what tools, pesticides or fertilisers will they be using? This will ensure both of you know what’s expected. 

Sign a contract

Most importantly, you need to make a contract for your gardener to sign. This document provides legal support for everything you have agreed upon. From the budget to deadlines, schedules and possible modifications, it should all be set out in writing. Signing a detailed contract is the best way to avoid misunderstandings and arguments. 

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