Spain dealt humiliating blow in battle against millions of uk tourists

RENTAL FINES MAY HAVE TO BE SHELVED BY THE EUROPEAN UNION HOLIDAY HOTSPOT DUE TO AN ADMINISTRATIVE PROBLEM. 11:16, 01 Jun 2025 Spain has been dealt a humiliating blow over its battle against

over-tourism and UK tourists - after its holiday let fines were POSTPONED. Rental fines may have to be shelved by the European Union holiday hotspot due to an administrative problem.

Alicante ’s plans to assume control to inspect, sanction, and collect fines for illegal tourist flats have been delayed because it hasn’t got enough inspectors, it has been announced this

week. Olive Press, a Spanish news website, reports Rocio Gomez admitted that transferring the regional powers over would take more time during a council meeting on Thursday, but a date was

not specified. READ MORE LLOYDS BANK BRINGS IN BIG CHANGE AND ANYONE WHO IS IN A 'COUPLE' WILL BENEFIT Gomez claimed the bonus of having extra inspectors will mean better urban

planning scrutiny of work being carried out across the municipality. Article continues below In December, Alicante councillors voted in favour of cracking down on short-term holiday lets,

and a temporary ban on new holiday rental licenses has since been passed. The temporary ban will be in place for two years, and that window will be used to review all laws over short-term

holiday lets and ‘purify homes that do not comply with regulations'. Of the 4,108 tourist apartments in Alicante (around 2.31 percent of housing in total), a whopping 3,292 are

unlicensed. Article continues below Carmen Robledillo of the Vox party called for “eradicating tourist apartments with more inspections” and “closing and sanctioning illegal ones”. She also

stated that “disastrous policies” have led to “a decrease in residential housing for long-term rental or sale”. Rafa Mas, one of the two left-wing Compromis councillors that abstained said:

“Our neighbourhoods are being occupied and speculators are making housing more expensive.” The one person to vote against the measure, Manolo Cope, from the EU-Podem party branded the

moratorium as ‘fictitious’ and that in reality it will “regularise the situation of many homes that are currently illegal”.