Consumer Affairs Ministry has blocked 65,000 Airbnb listings it considers “illegal”

The Ministry of Social Rights, Consumption, and the 2030 Agenda has blocked over 65,000 listings on Airbnb that it considers “illegal.” According to a statement, the ministry, led by Pablo Bustinduy, has ordered the multinational’s Irish subsidiary to remove 65,935 listings because they violate advertising standards for this type of tourist accommodation. These listings are said to violate the rules of the autonomous communities where the Consumer Affairs Department found them. In all cases, the advertisements are for complete tourist homes; there are no listings for individual rooms.

Recently, the government claims to have issued Airbnb up to three resolutions informing it of the more than 65,000 unlawful tourist accommodation listings discovered on its platform, “resolutions in which this company was urged to block this advertising,” according to the Ministry. It should be mentioned that Airbnb filed an appeal with the courts to prevent the ban, and the High Court of Justice of Madrid has finally ruled on the initial resolution, issuing an order that supports the actions of the Consumer Affairs Department. In response to the ministry’s first order, the High Court of Justice has urged Airbnb to remove 5,800 tourist flat listings immediately.