Barcelona increases maximum fine for illegal accommodations to €600,000

BARCELONA city hall announced an increase in the maximum fine that can be given to home rental sites that offer illegal accommodations.

By law any apartment rented to visitors in Catalonia must be logged in the province’s Tourism Registry and have a permit.

Authorities in Barcelona fined Airbnb and a competing site, Homeaway, 30,000 euros for offering rental homes without a permit at the end of last year.

Illegal accommodations have had a negative impact on cities like Barcelona, a popular destination for short-term holidays. The rise of home sharing sites caused the rental market and real estate prices to surge and the city worries about harmful effects on its residents.