When the number is missing: Platforms to delete 2,373 holiday rentals in the Balearics

When the number is missing: Platforms to remove 2,373 listings from the Balearic Islands

On Monday evening discussion in Palma, in the street cafes of Santa Catalina and along the Passeig Mallorca promenade, returned to the same question: platforms like Airbnb are to take almost 2,400 listings for the Balearic Islands offline. Specifically: 2,373 listings that appear in the new central registro único but apparently do not show a valid authorization number.

The central question: cleanup or collateral damage?

That is the simple but urgent question. On one side is the aim to curb illegal short-term rentals and finally free up housing for locals. The island government praises the move, ministers stress the need to enforce the law. On the other side are worried hosts reporting technical glitches, bureaucratic delays and lack of communication. At city hall, on the Paseo and in the old alleys of La Lonja you hear the same sentence: "If everything is in order, nothing should happen. But the chaos with the numbers is making life difficult for all of us."

Analysis: Why the system falters — and what is rarely said

The registro único is sensible in principle: a central database that platforms can use to validate whether an accommodation is legal. In practice, however, several weaknesses become apparent. First: the transition phase. Many apartments still have valid licences but are waiting for a new registration number. Second: technical interfaces. If platforms automatically delete listings without human oversight, incorrect removals may occur. Third: unequal burden. Small landlords, who rent out their flat next to purring cats and washing machines in La Lonja, lack the resources to constantly track status changes.

Less publicly discussed is the question of data accuracy and data protection: how up to date is the central register, how reliable are the address matching routines, and who is liable if an entry is wrong? Another issue is the economic dependence of many households on short-term rentals — an aspect that city councils often only touch on at the edges.

Options instead of just sanctions: concrete proposals

If the real goal is more housing and less shadow economy, a delete button is not enough. Pragmatic solutions are needed:

1) Transitional periods and provisional labels — platforms could mark listings with an 'under-review' badge instead of deleting them immediately. That would reduce hardship for legitimate hosts.

2) API connection and live matching — a technical interface between the central register and platforms would enable automatic but traceable checks and reduce false alarms.

3) Support centers for hosts — local help desks in Palma and on the islands to assist with registration would especially ease the burden for older owners.

4) Prioritised manual checks — listings from historic neighbourhoods like La Lonja or with complex ownership structures should be prioritised for manual review.

5) Targeted use of sanctions — fines should follow clear, proportionate steps and revenues should be invested in local housing projects.

What to expect now — and how the island can respond

In the coming days platforms will begin to work through the lists. Authorities must allow for corrections; hosts should check their documents immediately and, if necessary, file an objection. For residents, the hope remains that less illegal renting will truly ease the housing market — whether that succeeds will depend heavily on the speed and quality of implementation.

A practical tip from city hall: stay calm, have documents ready and contact the local office or a landlords' association if in doubt. The solution is not only deleting listings, but reliable technology, clear communication and a dose of social empathy for people who depend on this income.

In the end it remains a balancing act: the island needs rules, but those rules must be designed so they do not crush the small players while barely touching the big ones. That is the discussion that will continue in the cafes of Santa Catalina between the aroma of coffee and the murmur of voices.