A report by Madrid's Socialist Municipal Group reveals that a significant number of tourist apartments listed as 'legal' by the city council are actually operating illegally. Specifically, about one-fourth of the apartments initially deemed legal lacked the necessary operating licenses, only possessing construction permits.
The city council created a public registry of supposedly legal tourist apartments in an attempt to address the issue. However, the initial list contained a substantial number of illegal apartments, causing confusion and hindering efforts to address the problem. This list was intended to assist citizens in identifying and reporting illegal rentals.
The discrepancy arises from a two-step licensing process: a construction license and an operational license. Many apartments had only obtained the former.
The Socialist group criticizes the city council's handling of the situation, labeling the initial list as inaccurate and misleading. They highlight the inadequacy of the number of inspectors responsible for overseeing the city's businesses, including tourist apartments, and propose bolstering inspection efforts rather than simply tightening licensing requirements.
While the proportion of illegally operating apartments has decreased since the initial report, a considerable number still lack the required operational licenses. The city council is implementing a new plan to address the problem, but its effectiveness remains to be seen.