Benidorm Seeks Authority to Inspect and Sanction Short‑Term Rentals
Municipal authorities in Benidorm have formally requested the power to inspect and sanction tourist rental homes that do not meet regional regulations. This move makes Benidorm the first city to pursue these competences through official channels after the approval of a new regional framework aimed at reducing irregularities in the short term rental sector. Nuria Montes, the regional minister responsible for the project, called the development a milestone for the city. Benidorm stands as a flagship tourist destination in the Valencian Community and hosts more than 7,800 tourist rental units.
The changes came on August 2 when the Consell approved amendments to the rules governing tourist‑use housing. The objective is to tighten sector oversight, identify unlawful activity, and apply sanctions where necessary.
A key update allows for initiating, conducting, and resolving sanctioning procedures for minor, major, and very major infringements. Benidorm has taken advantage of this provision, becoming the first to formally request these competences for its territorial area.
Under the leadership of Mayor Toni Pérez, who also serves as president of the Alicante Provincial Council, the city plans to act directly against irregularities in tourist accommodation without relying on the regional ministry, whose inspection capacity is limited. The mayor explained that the 2018 Leisure and Hospitality Law contained provisions that hindered a well‑ordered and planned city that leads the tourism sector, and the city had been waiting for the Consell decree to empower its request for competences.
Ministry minister Nuria Montes described Benidorm’s request as a milestone and a demonstration that the new decree offers towns the tools to organize tourism within their borders. She added that Benidorm is one of Spain’s major vacation spots and its use of the instruments introduced by the Consell, led by Carlos Mazón, to monitor tourist housing reinforces the direction being taken.
Montes noted that sanctions under the new decree can reach up to 600,000 euros for the most serious violations, with municipalities keeping the penalties and receiving an extra allocation within the compensation fund established by Turisme Comunitat Valenciana. The minister argued that the measure strengthens oversight of informal activities, expands the inspectorate by enlisting the help of municipalities, and, in short, brings under control a category of accommodation that grew unchecked during the Botànic administrations eight years in power.
Alicante Also Pursues Delegated Competences
The city of Alicante, as previously indicated, is also engaging with the Conselleria de Turismo to delegate the power to inspect and sanction irregularities related to tourist housing. Alicante reports 4,107 such units, out of 69,237 in the province. The regional government, aiming to update the census, has requested property owners to provide the cadastral reference for their properties by December 31.
If readers want more details on how this shift could affect enforcement and the practical steps municipalities will take, the official notes from the regional administration cited in municipal communications provide further context.
Note: ongoing updates and guidance are issued by the regional authorities as part of the broader reform aimed at improving oversight and ensuring compliance across all tourist housing in the region.