The government is widening a crackdown on tourist rentals as it seeks to alleviate a painful housing crunch.
The Spanish government on Monday ordered Airbnb to remove nearly 66,000 listings from its platform, widening a crackdown on tourist rentals as it seeks to alleviate a housing crisis that has become among the worst in Europe.
The government said the listings were in violation of rules because they either lacked licenses, had fake license numbers or failed to reveal whether the property was run by a corporation or an individual.
Airbnb said in a statement that it would continue to appeal all decisions linked to the case. A spokesman said the company would keep the listings up until the appeal made its way through the courts.
Housing affordability has become a critical social and political issue in Spain, where mass demonstrations have been held across the country by people who say that the proliferation of real estate investors and the conversion of lodging into tourist accommodations have pushed families from their homes. The scarcity has helped drive up prices much faster than wages, putting affordable housing out of reach for many.
Spain’s consumer affairs minister, Pablo Bustinduy, said the action was part of a broader push by national, regional and local authorities “to ensure that no economic interest takes precedence over the right to housing.”
His agency had previously investigated Airbnb and notified the company several months ago that 65,935 listings did not meet legal requirements and would need to be taken down, but the company appealed in court. On Monday, Madrid’s high court backed the order. The government will require Airbnb to remove a first batch of 5,800 ads on the site, and additional orders will be issued until all the illegal listings are removed, Mr. Bustinduy said.