Canary Islands warns new state holiday‑rental order could exclude thousands of owners
The Canary Islands Government’s Department of Tourism and Employment has issued an alert that the new decree from the Ministry of Industry and Tourism concerning a single national rental registry may push thousands of vacation‑home owners out of the market.
The regional minister Jéssica de León has asked Minister Jordi Hereu and State Secretary Rosario Sánchez to repeal the single rental registry, describing it as an “ineffective” tool that infringes regional competencies, creates a duplicate registry and generates legal uncertainty.
Only 27,700 Registrations Completed
Data presented at the Sectorial Tourism Conference in Madrid show that, out of the 415,000 registration numbers of owners currently listing properties on platforms, only 27,700 have managed to complete the procedure required by the new ministerial order.
The deadline to submit notifications of rentals carried out in 2025 ends on 2 March. Owners who miss the deadline will be automatically deregistered and, if they wish to operate again, will have to bear the costs of re‑registration.
“We are facing a concerning situation: owners have less than a month to complete the paperwork while technical difficulties still prevent the Canary Islands from fully connecting to the state’s digital single‑window system,” the department warned.
Competence Conflict and Supreme Court Appeal
De León reminded that the regional government has appealed to the Supreme Court against the Royal Decree regulating the single rental registry. She argues that the rule creates a double registration: a property may be legal in the General Tourist Registry of the Canary Islands but not recognized by the Ministry, leaving owners defenseless.
She emphasized that the European Regulation applies directly and that no additional decree from the central government is necessary. Moreover, the European Commission has expressed criticism of the state‑driven development of this regulation.
Impact on the “Green Islands” and European Funds
The Canary Islands government warns that the issue will especially affect the “green islands,” where many owners could be excluded from rental platforms if they do not complete the process in time.
During the conference, the minister also voiced concerns about the management of Next Generation EU funds, noting that the proposed flexibility arrives too late and that there is a risk of losing resources due to a lack of state coordination.
She reiterated the need to respect the Economic and Fiscal Regime of the Canary Islands concerning tourism infrastructure, reminding that the State General Budget should contain a specific line that was eliminated in 2023.
The Department of Tourism and Employment maintains its stance to request the repeal of the single rental registry and calls for a consensual solution that provides legal certainty for the sector.