Palma steps up crackdown on illegal holiday rentals – fines over 300,000 euros

Fines instead of key handovers: Palma tightens controls

On Friday, 25 October 2025, the island council in Palma issued several penalty notices against operators of holiday apartments. The total amount of fines, according to the authorities, is over 300,000 euros. A residential building in the Llevant district is affected, in which several apartments were apparently rented to tourists without the necessary permit.

What exactly happened

The officers found several listings on booking platforms and subsequently issued sanctions. In the past weeks, inspections have been intensified, says the responsible tourism department — and indeed: almost all of the affected apartments are reportedly stopping short-term rental now. You can see an effect, even though proceedings in some cases are still ongoing.

Neighbors, landlords, and vigilance

If you are in Llevant, you hear more murmurs in front of doors: neighbours complaining about constant key changes, noise at three in the night, and garbage in the staircase. A neighbour on the Plaça tells me that the peace has returned in the past few weeks. "It was like a kind of mini-hotel in the house," she says. Such observations have evidently caught the attention of the authorities.

The island council's reaction is part of a broader strategy: Palma wants to enforce clear rules for the housing market and prevent whole buildings from effectively falling victim to permanent tourism. Whether the sanctions are enough to have a deterrent effect remains controversial — and will surely be discussed at the bar as well as in parliamentary committees.

What is important now

For tenants, homeowners and tourists: before booking, always check whether the accommodation has a valid registration number. Owners who are unsure should seek advice; for affected neighbors there are contact points at the municipality. The matter has shown: controls work, but they are only part of the solution.

Personally: I took a walk through Llevant on a rainy Wednesday morning — hardly any unfamiliar suitcases, but more children on the playground. For the people who live here, that means a lot. And for many of us it is also a reminder: rules are not only paragraphs; they shape how we live on the island.