Could impact on tourism

I am unsure as to how they intend to police this other than by intimidation. Threats of swingeing fines might have some effect. There is a positive aspect. Rogue renters will learn to be better behaved. They could be grassed by disgruntled renters if owners do not work on a good relationship with tenants.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2523474/Brits-holiday-homes-Spain-France-banned-renting-tourists.html#comments

I think it’s called financial suicide Mike. What right has any government got to restrict freedom of choice and how can such draconian rules be imposed in a free society.  How many of these lawmakers have financial interests in the one remaining industry that keeps Spain out of the workhouse?

Perhaps if this government stopped squandering money on colossally expensive programmes that should be financed by commercial investment, kept their fingers out of the till and attended to their their civic and legal duties for which they were engaged in an honest and business-like way, then Spain may be able to survive as a free country.

As usual, the government can’t  see past page one with this latest crazy law – the massive fiscal loss to tourism will be huge in exchange for a small revenue in ‘licences’ – plus of course there will be the usual costly make-work departments to fund, armed with their rubber stamps to supervise the operation.

More homes that were purchased by foreigners encouraged by the government of the day to ‘invest’ will go back to the banks as they will become unaffordable, the courts will become even more congested and the average family will be deprived of an economical holiday – to say nothing of the lost revenue streams generated by these visitors.

Sadly until the government realise that running the country is like running a business it will only continue in a downward spiral of despair and confusion.  Any business that found itself in the same sorry state as Spain would be forced into liquidation and the directors severely punished under the law.

As it is, the punishments are borne by the suffering  population while the greedy, inept and clueless politicians lie in clover

I recall analysis of Tony Blair’s cabinet. Going on memory, of about 32 cabinet ministers, not a single one had any experience of running a business. Nearly all were from the public or political management sectors. I suspect it is the same in Spain. No point in fooling ourselves, Spain is business inept

With North African tourist rivals having evaporated, Italy overpriced, Turkey politically boisterous and Russian visa requirements eased, Med’ Spain Inc should be an economic beacon to the rest of Europe. The phrase ‘couldn’t organise a party in a brewery’ comes to mind so often.

Well - personally, I cannot see anything wrong with tightening up on licences, better safety regulations (so holiday makers don't die from carbon monoxide poisoning) etc etc.  The problem with most holiday lets is that they are not being run at all as a business, they  are bit on the side and the holiday maker has little protection (Have you seen some of those gites in France??????).   And in  my opinion, if you had to let to finance, then you should not have bought in the first place.   Regulations for letting in the UK are pretty stringent now, and it might, just might, mean more taxes due, actually being paid?????????

It is almost certain that the majority of holiday lets, by private owners, even though agents, are not strictly legal.  

I know some will jump in and say they only let legally, but when one researches all the permissions required, safety inspections on gas and electric between each let, and even IVA which must be added to rentals which are managed, rents collected etc. by third parties, damages and thefts, it becomes clear that one would not be left with enough, if any, income to make letting worthwhile.    

And rental, owners cannot get insurance to cover all the liabilities which they are exposed to.     So most just take a chance or let in blissful ignorance, and good luck to you all.

As this law will crack down on letting as an undeclared sideline,does that mean that those of us who just use our places as holiday homes and don't let out will be relieved of the need to pay the insideous Non Residents Tax which was imposed to compensate the Spanish government for revenue lost by unofficial letting tax avoidance?

I will be surprised of any new law stops illegal lets. The law at present if applied would have done that years ago.

As for the ‘second home’ tax.  If a person living (tax resident)  in Spain has a property /properties  in Spain or anywhere else (e.g. UK)  they too have to pay the tax on each property.  My wife has  a property in Asia on which we have to pay the tax. So I very much doubt that tax will be abandoned.

The new law will mean just another tax obtaining a tourist licence. The rest will do the usual thing and ignore it. The autonomous regions don't have the resources to police it.

It's another example of an authoritairian government throwing it's weight around with little to back it up. It has to be ratified by each region anyway and I doubt it will happen.

The blame for this is not all down to the hotel industry, some of the blame has to go to the many house owners who live in Spain 52 weeks of the year and have had to put up with having a rented house next door to them with a couple of summer months worth of noisy loud holiday makers, who take over the pool and leave the mess for the owners to clear up.

Every house that has been sold was bought as a private house only, not for the use of a holiday let, sure the Spanish do this as well and also it's been the Spanish who have complained about the noise from the holiday rental house next door.

The other thing that might come out of this, is if it gets passed, and a holiday maker creates noise the person living full time next door might snitch on the (Legal or otherwise) owner that they are renting it out.

Quote:-  Baz:   Why is baz so angry with everything?  

He's not, he just says things how they are, it's the others that only want to hear what they want to hear.

He will always ask a question if he isn't sure of whats been said no matter how silly it sounds to others.

It's not him thats moaning about Spain, now is it?

Well I may 'just hear what I want to hear' but yes I think it is him moaning again about Spain.

I live a few minutes walk from the sea, in a town, I have been here over 25 years, my cup is always half full,  and I know just how lucky I am, if I were not, I would not moan about it, here or anywhere else, and  I would have moved.

Quote:-  Baz:   Why is baz so angry with everything?  

He's not, he just says things how they are, it's the others that only want to hear what they want to hear.

He will always ask a question if he isn't sure of whats been said no matter how silly it sounds to others.

It's not him thats moaning about Spain, now is it?

Well I may 'just hear what I want to hear' but yes I think it is him moaning again about Spain.

I live a few minutes walk from the sea, in a town, I have been here over 25 years, my cup is always half full,  and I know just how lucky I am, if I were not, I would not moan about it, here or anywhere else, and  I would have moved.

Your in the wrong place with this answer John, and if anyone thinks it is me "Baz" moaning about Spain thats wrong as well.

This section is for the new rental laws in Spain.

It always amuses me though when people complain about having to pay the non resident tax.    I wonder how much they think it would cost them to have a UK holiday home standing empty?    A lot of councils now charge 100% council tax on these properties - and that can be high.    

Am with Roly2 on this one pay the tax and stop moaning my God you have got away with it for years so pay up and shut up and think how many years you not declared these homes on your UK tax.

Anyway this was first mutated in 2007 and nothing has happened so far, just think the UK gov has got the bedroom tax  so why cant Spain do this. 

Wake up and smell the coffee.

Solwayiceman you have got away with it for years

Sorry, I don't follow,  what has anyone got away with ?

I cannot find any precise details of a suspected ‘new law’ but , as I said previously probably almost all rentals now are not legal, so what new?

The following is a small extract from:- http://www.aplaceinthesun.com/news/feature/tabid/131/EntryId/876/Default.aspx

Since 1999, the Spanish General Tourism Act states that all short let properties (private residences that are rented to tourists) and all “apartamentos turísticos” (tourist apartments that have been licensed and sold as such by the developer and which must adhere to strict guidelines) must be registered with the local town hall.

I'm also not sure about what we have" got away with for years". We have paid our community fees, our IBI and our non residents tax (double what casperruby paid but still not a huge amount). Taking all these together not much  less than council tax on a property in the UK. BUT that's not really the point . Mike was asking if it would impact on tourism and I think that the answer is probably yes.

BTW The bedroom tax is only applicable on social housing, solwayiceman so not relevant here.

Mike was asking if it would impact on tourism and I think that the answer is probably yes.

But only if suddenly people letting start obeying the law. They have not done that so far, so what will change ?

So I think the answer is probably No.