It doesn't pay to be a non-resident in Spain, especially if you are British. Non-resident foreigners appear to be taking the blame for everything from traffic gridlock on Mallorca's roads to the housing crisis. If you are British, then the problem is even worse.
Non-resident Britons are limited to 180 days that they can stay in Spain (in two batches of 90 days), they could be hit with a 100 percent surcharge courtesy of the Spanish government if they want to buy a home and soon they will be limited to having just one car per property (as long as the vehicle is registered in Spain and road tax is paid locally). Who would be a non-resident!
The sad truth about this state of affairs is that non-residents are vital for the local economy. They buy homes on the island and contribute to the Spanish economy. But obviously someone in officialdom doesn't like them. I would say to the Spanish government that they should be careful because this highly lucrative market could easily go elsewhere.
The 100 percent surcharge for non-European Union/non-resident foreigners will hopefully never come into force. Many top lawyers and legal experts doubt it. If it does, though, then I suspect that Britons and Americans will simply go elsewhere. You cannot continue to push non-residents around in this manner.