Sóller rallies opposition to jump in waste fees

Sóller: Protest with mélange, sea breeze and many questions

On the Plaça de la Constitució, where the church bells regularly mark the hours and the scent of damp coffee hangs in the alleys, the conversation revolves around a single number. €259 — that is the current annual fee for vacation rentals. €388 — that is how high it is set to rise from 2026. A jump of around 50 percent, which among landlords and small agencies in Sóller whistles like a cold wind through the orange trees.

Newly organised: Asociación ETV Sóller

Almost 600 operators have come together and call themselves Asociación ETV Sóller. "We're fed up with having to knock on the door one by one," says a spokesperson, reserved and with a look toward the plaza. The group first wants to talk to the town hall while preparing legal steps and a closer review of the resolutions. It is not a wild uprising, but rather the sober organisation of a group that suddenly realises: the bill could hit our entire model.

The key question: fair or arbitrarily distributed?

What is missing here is not only outrage but above all transparency. Operators ask: Which costs have actually risen? How were the figures calculated? At the market, in small cafés and in the narrow Carrer de sa Lluna, the same question is heard: If the municipality raises disposal costs, why does it hit vacation accommodations harder than other payers?

What the municipality says — and why many are unconvinced

The town hall offers the usual argument: increased disposal and recycling costs, the long-term sustainability of the system. Factual and correct. But this formula alone hardly explains livelihoods. Many landlords employ local cleaners, gardeners, craftsmen — people who make a living from the low season. "We bring life to the quiet months," says a landlady whose voice is nearly swallowed by her espresso. Rising costs could raise prices, reduce demand and thus threaten jobs.

An underestimated point: waste fees as a steering instrument

Little noticed in the public debate is that fees steer behaviour. They send signals about what a municipality prioritises. Flat increases are a blunt instrument; they hit the micro-landlord and the large agency alike. Instead, differentiated models could be considered that are based on usage, property size or occupancy-related factors.

Transparency deficit

Concrete cost breakdowns are still missing. Which cost items have the greatest impact — collection, transport, sorting, recycling or administration? How are seasonal fluctuations taken into account? Without these numbers the debate remains diffuse. In Sóller, where every bill at the Sunday market is turned over three times, a lack of disclosure feels like bad manners: you don't enter someone's door without introducing yourself.

Who is hit hardest by the increase

Those affected are primarily smaller providers and owners with several but not profitable properties. For large intermediaries a percentage point may be less relevant; for an individual with two apartments the adjustment can already throw a year's calculation off balance. The risk: displacement of authentic offerings, less variety in the accommodation landscape and a gradual emptying of everyday life between tourist flows.

Concrete alternatives — pragmatic steps

The discussion also brings forward proposals that go beyond mere resistance. Some are simple, others require courage and administrative capacity:

1. Phased adjustment — instead of a hard jump, a staggered increase over two to three years, tied to regular cost reports.

2. Occupancy-based model — the fee is oriented to actual use: number of guests, length of stay, seasonal occupancy. Fairer for small operators and better steers consumption and waste production.

3. Tiers by property size — smaller apartments that produce less waste pay less than large villas.

4. Investments in prevention and recycling — subsidies for local initiatives, better collection points, composting options: prevention costs less than cure.

5. External audit — an independent expert report could verify the figures and restore trust.

Civic participation instead of backroom politics

The Asociación has announced talks with the town hall and plans a public meeting in early November. A good idea — but a single meeting is not enough. Transparent documents, clear explanations and genuine co-determination are necessary so that the debate does not end in the usual councillor guessing game. Sóller is small enough that everyone knows each other; that makes decisions personal and the consequences immediately felt.

What is at stake

If politicians remain stubborn, legal disputes threaten. Even more serious would be the gradual thinning out of authentic accommodation offers. Fewer private landlords means more professional investors, higher prices, less low-season life — and thus less income for cleaners, craftsmen and small shops. Short-sighted for a place whose daily rhythm depends on the interplay of residents and visitors.

Outlook

The confrontation in Sóller makes one thing clear: this is not just about euros on a sheet, but about transparency, fairness and the question of how a place lives with tourism. If the municipality now discloses, explains and differentiates, Sóller can become a model: for comprehensible fee policy that promotes both climate protection and local economic viability. If not, conversations on the plaza will get louder — and the bill may one day be more uncomfortable than a wet morning coffee.