Key safes “persist” in Alicante despite being banned

In August 2024, the Valencian Regional Government finally released Decree Law 9/2024, which changed the rules for tourist accommodations. This new set of laws for holiday rentals made a lot of big changes.

It was made clear that properties could only be rented out in their entirety (never by room) and for no more than 10 days in a row to the same tenant. It was also said that a certificate must be obtained to prove that the homeowners’ organisation does not stop people from using the building’s units for things other than living.

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The decree also made amendments, like making all licences expire five years after they are issued and requiring the declaration of duty to be renewed to follow current laws. In the same way, a big restriction was put in place: every tourist property must have a reception or key collection service. This means that the key safes that are now widespread on walls and doors in tourist cities are no longer allowed. It’s evident that owners of vacation rentals in Alicante are not following this rule.

A common circumstance

It’s not commonplace to see these devices at building gates, especially in the Historic Centre and Old Town. They let tourists check in on their own, without having to see their host, which is against the law. The same thing happens in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento, on Calle Bazán (where one door can have up to four boxes), on Calle de Toledo, Calle San Francisco, and Calle de San Antonio, where even modest windows at ground level are used as shopfronts for tourist accommodations.

The problem isn’t just in the city centre; it’s extended to almost every neighbourhood in the city. There are still key boxes in Carolinas, San Blas, El Pla, Altozano, Alipark, and many more places in the provincial capital. So, because property owners aren’t following the rules and the authorities aren’t doing anything, these gadgets, which show that tourists are putting pressure on a certain region, keep popping up on building facades and doorways all throughout the city.

The decree-law described above also added other additional rules, like the rule that all ads must include the precise address of the property and its registration number in the Valencian Community’s Tourism Registry. Not making this information public is a really bad thing.

Author: Derek Appleton