Palma31/01/2018 00:00
I do not understand why the local authorities insist on making it so difficult to rent out your property. The latest legislation appears even more complicated even though it was introduced to simplify the matter. Surely, the local authorities can see the benefits of home owners being able to rent out their houses or flats to visiting tourists during the summer months. What is needed is a simple legal framework in which home owners declare their rental income to the tax authorities and the property in question meets all the necessary requirements and the tourist tax is paid. End of story. Simple.
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Just stayed in three hotels and one self catering place on Lanzarote. The only one I'd return to was the small purpose built luxury apartment one. The Barcelo and Hesperia hotels were massive and absolutely not what I like. We were band b mostly and although the breakfast buffets were impressive I hate dining right next to people and it feeling like a works canteen. There is nothing individual about any of it. Plus I've never seen so many obese people before. For five years we have rented an apartment in Fornalutx and we can be almost alone and make our own pot of good coffee and see the Eagles soaring in the mountains above. Much more my cup of tea.
No one talks about the fact that no apartments have really been built in the last 10 years - although the population has expanded. Stop blaming the tourists - it will make no difference stopping Holiday Rentals, which will only decrease the income coming to the island. Tourists creates employment.
Many of the problems discussed are not specific for Mallorca but for all areas that receive more tourists than the nature, people, money, etc can handle. El Pais (English ed., August 15, 2017) wrote about the problem in Santiago de Campostela with more tourists spending less than before. So Lizz, the number of tourists is not the correct measure to use if not combined with other measures. A related problem is the fact that global companies such as Airbnb don’t pay their fair share of taxes in the countries they operate in. In addition, tax authorities in different countries have found that lots of Airbnb hosts don’t pay any tax at all or not enough tax. So why is it such a good idea for the Spanish politicians and authorities to keep on increasing something that may bring more costs than income? Show them how profitable the short-term rental is for the Baleares and they may change their minds.
Well I think you are all failing to understand that the island needs tourists and unfortunately for two months out of twelve it’s busy. Try living in Paris Venice or even Barcelona, where tourism is a way of life. But of course the governments there are capable and realistic. Mallorca has little industry outside tourism. Max you are not the sort of expat the island needs, very rude
Another own goal, cretins on this site.
The person who just red marked me for a totally objective and altruistic comment is probably the same person who red marked RBMM and who probably does not understand what an acronym is. Or the meaning of objective and altruistic. Exactly proves my point. Own goal.
Sorry I got autocorrected. I of course meant filth.
Well said RBMM! I don’t agree with the new rental laws but I WOULD agree with a system that is equitable for all. I noticed that some idiot red marked your post. Why oh why? There are some regulars here like Mel who are the voice of reason. Unfortunately not enough of us. Sad to say but Mallorca attracts the wrong sort of expat. Remember the ‘filfh’ acronym about Hong Kong? About the same here...
Why can't anyone come up with win-win ideas that would solve at least some of the problems created by the mass-tourism? There are more tourists than Mallorca can handle. There is a lack of money, people, and routines to handle all those visitors. Problems with water, with garbage in the streets in the water and from houses, lack of capacity in the health care sector, not enough police to handle all drunk visitors in some areas, etc etc. Come up with ideas to help the Spanish solve such problems! You who complain think of all the income for yourself, but you don't think about the costs for the Spanish society. Complaining is easy.
You are way behind almost everybody with this viewpoint,everybody but you knows that the hoteliers have been trying to wipe out private rentals for quite some time now and become the only source of tourist accommodation on the Island and they now seem to have finally succeeded,thanks to corrupt,compliant or naive politicians,you have sold your Island to the hoteliers but the result will be that most complimentary services will cease to exist within a few years and the only jobs on the Island will be low-paid,insecure jobs in the hotels.