The Barcelona City Council has asked Booking to remove 340 unauthorized tourist apartment ads that were detected in April on the platform. These apartments are part “of the most active networks currently active in the city”, according to Europa Press, citing municipal sources.
Proposal halted until firm guarantees are obtained
According to some sources, Jordí Valls, deputy mayor for Economy, sent a letter to the platform in May. In this letter he informed that in the City Council they paralyze “any agreement proposal until they have firm guarantees.” In addition, it should be noted that illegal activity is not accepted on the portal.
Barcelona City Council: 340 illegal ads detected
It should be noted that on Monday, June 17, Valls expressed this same message “any proposed agreement until we have firm guarantees” at a meeting held with a senior representative of the company. Where the City Council received a list of the 340 ads that were detected illegally. This means that up to 340 illegal ads were detected, this means “up to seven times more illegal ads that were previously found” in Booking.
Hence, the executive body of the City Council explains that this platform was initially the one most used by the multi-infringers. The platform was Airbnb and ended up implementing measures required by the City Council. And, with a certain agility, it reacts when complaints from owners and neighbors are evidenced.
Booking had the most controlled ad input
According to Booking, “Lately, the ads that we detect related to multi-infringer networks are not on Airbnb, but on Booking”. Regretting that Booking previously had more controlled ad entry. For this reason, the consistory explains that municipal inspectors have been able to deactivate networks operating illegally in the city. However, they are appearing as new ones and in some cases they reinvent themselves, each one acting in a different way.
Barcelona City Council: 30 Multi-infringers identified
Currently, 30 multi-infringers have been identified; 22 of them are no longer active, 10 have no notable activity and 6 have little activity. It should be noted that these multi-infringers have already been opened to them for tourist lodging activity. Considering that they do not have a license in 791 apartments, 365 sanctions have been imposed and a total of 28 cease and desist orders have been issued.
The Barcelona City Council called for the involvement of administrators
It should also be noted that, as the newspaper recently quoted, the Barcelona City Council called for the involvement of the administrations. This is with the objective of eliminating the activity of multi-recidivists in this aspect. When they have been reduced to practically zero, infractions were carried out by individuals, but not with respect to organized gangs.
It should also be noted that a greater specialization and professionalization of the illegal activity has been detected, where they find networks that try to evade the law by all possible means.
