Island Council Debunks Allegation of Illegal Holiday Rentals - Only a Few Outliers

Island Council: Majority of holiday rentals legal — Confusion due to new registration rules

The headlines of the last few days sounded more dramatic than the numbers ultimately show: Of around 1,300 inspected listings on Mallorca, only twelve were actually operating without a valid permit. This was announced by the Island Council — and they breathed a sigh of relief. I was briefly at Plaça de Cort in Palma this morning, you can tell how quickly rumors spread in cafés and on construction sites.

How the confusion happened

Since July there is an additional obligation: Online listings must carry an extra registration number. Many hosts do not yet have this number displayed in their listings. Not because they are illegal. But because applications were missing documents or forms were still being processed. The Island Council speaks of bureaucratic delays — and warns against criminalizing the entire market.

The bare numbers

Short and to the point: of about 1,300 inspected offerings/listings, 12 were not authorized. That is less than one percent. In my conversations with residents along Avinguda Gabriel Roca I heard statements like: That concerns only isolated cases. Others say you should still look closely. Both have a grain of truth.

What happens now

The Island Council announced that it would speed up the processes. The goal is that legitimate landlords can provide the missing registration number without immediately facing fines. At the same time, the real black market offers should be identified more quickly. On small streets like Carrer de Sant Miquel you currently hear more relief than anger. Many families run the vacation homes on the side — and are unsettled.

Important to know: The checks referred to listings, not automatically all holiday rentals on the island. Authorities operate based on reports and sample checks. That means: It remains an ongoing process, not a one-off exoneration.

My impression

As someone who often moves between the fish market and the harbor: The situation is less black-and-white than the excitement suggested. There are real illegal providers — that is what the twelve cases stand for. But there are also many unsettled landlords who respond to news from Berlin or Madrid and wonder which forms they still need to fill out.

For guests: before booking, briefly request the registration number. For hosts: get your documents complete, preferably now. And for all of us: Do not confuse initial information with final judgments. The Island Council remains vigilant, and the administrative machinery has a lot to catch up on.