The Canary Islands Government has delayed the approval of a decree law that would have suspended fines imposed on people living in apartments classified as for ‘tourist use’ or on holiday complexes.
Following a meeting of the Governing Council, government spokesperson Alfonso Cabello announced at a press conference that the postponement was due to the need for further legal adjustments of the decree by the archipelago’s legal services.
Fines Introduced in 2023
In 2023, the Canary Islands Government began issuing fines to owners of apartments in tourist complexes who chose to use them as permanent or secondary residences rather than renting them out for tourism purposes.
These fines range from €2,000 to €9,000 for what are classified as "very serious" breaches of Canarian legislation. Since 2013, this legislation has required such properties to be used exclusively for tourism in accordance with planning regulations, regardless of an owner's claim to property rights in seeking residential use.
The only exception to this rule applies to individuals who can prove that they have used their apartment as their primary residence since before 2017. This exemption was introduced to address long-standing issues, particularly in Gran Canaria, where ownership of holiday complexes has historically been highly fragmented.
Many owners do not operate their apartments as holiday rentals but instead use them as primary or secondary residences, with some even registering as residents at these addresses.
