Love Island landlords face tough new rules

Landlords looking to profit from fans re-enacting scenes from ITV2’s Love Island this summer face having their wings clipped after the authorities in Mallorca banned flat rentals to tourists in its capital.

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The ban means visitors to the Mediterranean island will not so easily be able to recreate the drama and tension seen on the popular UK TV show, which sees couples competing in swimwear for the chance to win £50,000 ($66,200, €57,000).

As well as Love Island, Mallorca is popular with expats, many of whom rent property to supplement their incomes.

The capital city Palma de Mallorca is home to 84,000 expats, of which 44,000 are from outside the EU.

However, from July, owners of apartments located in Palma de Mallorca will not be able to rent their properties to Love Island super fans in a reaction against the growing popularity of short-term lets driven by Airbnb.

Leasing to tourists will only be allowed for single-family homes (isolated houses or villas) with direct access to the street.

Spain has long sought to tame the growth in Airbnb landlords who often can earn large sums from short term lets, distorting the rental markets for locals.

The Canary Islands has also drafted a decree prohibiting holiday rental in tourist areas and toughened the requirements for landlords by creating the obligation to have a 24-hour hotline or professional license to rent.

In a different response to the same problem, last month saw Airbnb in Denmark pledging to report income made on its site to combat suspected tax evasion.

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