Spain is fining Airbnb €64 million for advertising unlicensed short-term rentals, the Spanish ministry of consumer affairs announced on Monday.
The fee is six times the amount of profit Airbnb received from illegal listings, according to the ministry.
“There are thousands of families who live on the edge because of housing, while a few enrich themselves with business models that expel people from their homes,” consumer rights minister Pablo Bustinduy said in a statement.
This is Spain's latest effort to combat overtourism amid a housing crisis. Last summer, the city of Barcelona enacted a ban on short-term rentals, and an independent regulator fined Booking.com €413 million for allegedly abusing “its dominant position.”
An Airbnb spokesperson confirmed plans to dispute the fine, adding that the company is confident the ministry’s actions are “contrary to applicable regulations in Spain.”
“Short-term rental regulations in Spain changed in July, and Airbnb is closely collaborating with Spain’s ministry of mousing to support the enforcement of the new national registration system,” the spokesperson said. “As part of this collaboration, more than 70,000 listings have added a registration number since January, and therefore remain available for booking on the platform.”
In July, Airbnb removed 65,000 listings that the ministry ordered the company to withdraw in May, Reuters reported.