buenavista holiday rentals inspection plan

Holiday lets in Buenavista: 70% fail legal checks

Compiled with the help of artificial intelligence, based on Spanish-language information. Source below the article.

Majority of holiday rentals fall short of new law

Seven in ten holiday rentals in Buenavista del Norte have some form of administrative deficiency under Law 6/2025, which regulates this type of accommodation in the Canary Islands. That is the conclusion reached by the local council after approving its first Municipal Plan for the Verification and Control of Holiday Rentals at a meeting of the governing board. The plan will remain in force for four years and now awaits approval by the full council.

The initial census puts the number of such properties at 107, of which only 32 hold the requisite tourist declaration of responsibility, the prior municipal notification of classified activity, and the favourable report for operating. Of the remaining 75 properties, 59 – more than half of the total – have submitted no documentation whatsoever to the Buenavista council. The plan attributes this situation to “a historical lack of coordination” between local, island and regional institutions.

What the inspection process involves

The council is now opening a process of documentary verification, database cross-referencing and inspection. Each case file will lead to one of several outcomes: requests to rectify shortcomings, cessation orders, precautionary measures, proceedings relating to classified activities, or action to restore planning legality. The consequences of failing to comply with holiday rental regulations will depend on the nature of the deficiencies detected, whether they can be remedied, and the outcome of the corresponding procedure. Penalties can range from a correction or cessation of activity to notification of the tax authority (Agencia Tributaria) if deemed necessary.

Implementation of the plan is shared between the mayor’s office, the planning department, the local police and the council’s legal services. This shows that enforcement is not exclusively tourism-related but combines different disciplines and areas of responsibility. At the end of the plan’s four-year term, the local administration will have two months to produce a report detailing the case files and inspections carried out, infringements detected, sanctions imposed, corrective measures adopted and, in general, the results obtained.

Legal obligations and deadlines

The main objective of this first municipal plan is to organise the administrative work of verifying, inspecting and controlling holiday rentals. Buenavista del Norte is thus complying with the second additional provision of Law 6/2025, which obliges all town councils in the Canary Islands to approve and begin applying this type of control over holiday rentals. The regional government set a maximum deadline of eight months from the approval of the legislation, meaning this period expired on 13 August.

The council’s roadmap does not set out an annual schedule or a minimum number of inspections, nor does it have a specific budget allocation. It does, however, establish an initial documentary phase for each holiday rental, during which it plans to review eight certificates required to be compliant with the law. The information will then be cross-referenced if necessary. The aim is to detect mismatched addresses, active advertisements with no corresponding registration, duplicate listings, changes of use that have not been notified, or activity continuing despite a case file having been closed.

Physical inspections and prioritisation

In addition, there will be physical inspections that may be initiated of the council’s own accord, following a complaint, as part of sector-specific campaigns, or based on risk analysis. The local police will be responsible for checking the identifying plaque, the prior notification, occupancy levels and actual use. They will also draw up official reports, issue formal requirements and take photographs.

The document drawn up by Buenavista del Norte council does not detail the protocol prior to visiting properties, nor how case files are selected, the method for documenting inspections, what time limits are granted, or how coordination between the various council departments will work. As for the order of inspections, priority will be given to properties showing signs of planning incompatibility, lack of title, risk to people or property, clandestine operation, breaches of sector-specific regulations, or repeated nuisance to neighbours.

Risk categories and legal groups

The plan establishes a three-tier classification: high, medium and low risk. In the highest tier are holiday rentals with no tourist registration, activity on land where it is not permitted, constant complaints, or danger to people or property. The medium tier covers documentary inconsistencies and advertising activity with no corresponding registration, while the lowest tier covers ordinary random checks.

There are also four legal groups: those operating but not appearing on the General Tourist Register; those registered and with municipal notification but without planning title or whose notification has been declared ineffective; those registered and with prior notification, subject to ordinary verification of what has been declared; and those affected by police reports, complaints or previous inspections.

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