Spotahome Defends Itself Against "Regulation-Dodging Landlords" Allegations

Short- and medium-term rental specialist Spotahome has defended itself against allegations made by Spain's Housing Minister that its model allows landlords to dodge long-term rental regulations.

Minister of Housing and Urban Agenda Isabel Rodríguez recently announced regulations limiting the fraudulent use of seasonal rental contracts to circumvent restrictions around housing law.

Rodríguez alleges that sites like Spotahome, which facilitate rentals under 12 months—considered a short-term contract under Spanish law—offer landlords a loophole to exempt them from tenant protection measures such as rent controls; with Spotahome marketing long-term rental properties as short-and-medium term opportunities (or 'seasonal' rentals).

According to a story published in El Periódico España, Housing Minister Rodríguez seeks to obligate "landlords who decide to rent out apartments on a medium-stay basis, for less than a year, to demonstrate the reasons for signing this type of contract."

But Spotahome has defended its business model, saying:

There is not a large volume of long-term rentals that are made as seasonal rentals.

[For] national citizens who reserve a property in their own city, the majority are looking for a temporary solution motivated by the renovation of their habitual residence, purchase of a home with delivery in a few months, divorces and separations or transfers due to illness or to care for family members.

85% of our customers are young people under 35 years of age, mostly of international origin or traveling from another city.

Furthermore:

[Spotahome] proposes tax incentives for rent , especially aimed at private owners and tenants with greater difficulties in accessing housing.

This measure would encourage an increase in the rental housing stock, with a rationalization of prices and would contribute to the diversification of the accommodation offer, further encouraging owners to prefer medium and long-term rentals, as opposed to holiday rentals.