Consumer Affairs fines Airbnb €64 million for advertising unlicensed tourist apartments

BarcelonaThe Spanish government has fined Airbnb €64 million for advertising tourist accommodations without a license, with incorrect registration numbers, or with inaccurate information about the legal status of their hosts. The Ministry of Social Rights, Consumer Affairs, and Agenda 2030 identified a total of 65,122 listings on the online tourist accommodation platform that violate regulations. The fine imposed by the department headed by Pablo Bustinduy is final after all administrative appeals were exhausted, and the California-based company must pay the penalty, although it can appeal in court. The resolution, made public this Monday, also includes two additional sanctions that require the platform to rectify these violations by removing the illegal content, as it had already announced in the initial fine.

In a statement, the Spanish government reiterated that publishing advertisements for unlicensed tourist accommodations violates the obligations imposed by most regional regulations, which require the registration number to be included in their advertising. This procedure was initiated in October 2024, when Consum reported the existence of more than 65,000 illegal apartments. Given the platform's inaction, Consum opened a sanctioning process two months later and imposed precautionary measures. –ads were blocked– With the green light from the High Court of Justice of Madrid (TSJM).

Now the fine rises to €64,055,311, a total equivalent to six times the "illicit" profit obtained by Airbnb during the period from when the listings were published until the ministry's warning and their removal by the platform. This is the second largest fine imposed to date by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs.

Notice to housing market operators

"There are thousands of families living on the edge due to the housing situation, while a few enrich themselves with business models that force people out of their homes," Bustinduy stated, adding that "no company in Spain, however large or powerful, can be above the law." In a press conference, the minister sent a "very clear message" to economic operators who "try to profit from the right to housing" and warned that he will continue to act "with total determination" to eradicate these practices.

"The actions announced today are a good example of the ministry's unwavering commitment to safeguarding and protecting the constitutional right to housing by eradicating the speculative and harmful practices that are suffocating working families in Spain," he concluded. In October, Consum also proposed a fine of 3.6 million euros in Alquiler Seguro.for possible abusive practices against tenants in rental management throughout Spain.