Aptur, the association for apartments and properties for seasonal rental, has expressed its total rejection of any abuse or scam in renting out accommodation. At the same, it states that demand for this type of accommodation is booming in the whole of Europe and contributes to local development and the distribution of benefits from tourism.
The association's president, Juan Estarellas, says that it is vital that regulation is introduced as swiftly as possible in order to clamp down on abuse and deception, such as with the supply of accommodation in poor condition, without necessary equipment and with insufficient space for the number of people staying in it. He emphasises that Aptur is all about ensuring that there is quality, so that tourists will be satisfied and wish to come to Majorca and the Balearics again. Poor quality accommodation damages the reputation of the islands.
The tourism ministry is in the process of inspecting all types of accommodation, including holiday rentals (by which one presumes it means registered tourist accommodation and so excludes all apartments save for those officially categorised as tourist apartments). The number of proceedings it is taking in order to tackle deficiencies will not be announced until the end of the season, so around the start of November.
Aptur, meanwhile, is insisting that regulation should give legal certainty for properties without a legal status and for owners who have been demanding this. Estarellas notes that taxes from this legal certainty would contribute to economic development and social equality in the Balearics.