Letting holiday homes
All you wanted to know about letting your Spanish home to tourists but were scared to ask.
Much has been said about letting a property to tourists in Spain, and much more has been kept quiet because of fear and, perhaps, because the new legislation has not been fully understood.
I thought that the best way to clear up the uncertainties around this subject was to obtain the information direct from the horse’s mouth.
In order to do this I obtained the latest information on the subject from the official page of the Valencian region, but rather than start reciting here a long list of laws and regulations I have gathered the most common questions that have been asked of the Valencian authorities and translated them directly here. In the link below you can see the original version of those questions and answers:
www.turisme.gva.es/open cms/opencms/turisme/es/ contents/tramitacion/empre sa_turistica/faq_preguntas_ frecuentes_viviendas_turisti cas.html
First things first, a couple of regulations that you should know about
The Decree 30/1993 of the regional government approved the first regulation on apartments, tourism, villas, chalets, bungalows and similar, which gave birth to a modality of tourist accommodation different from that to hotel establishments and holiday camps.
More than fifteen years later, the regional government’s Decree 92/2009, of July 3, approved a new regulation covering tourist housing and management companies, or physical persons, dedicated to the letting of their homes to tourists in the Valencia Region. However this decree has been modified by three subsequent occasions: 206/2010, of 3 December; 22/2012, of January 27; and 75/2015, of May 15.
Questions answered by the Valencian authorities on touristic homes.
I plan to let one or more properties that I own in the Valencia Region to tourists. What do I have to do?
Obtain the corresponding registration number for the dwelling(s) in the General Register of Tourism Companies, Establishments and Professions of the Valencian Region (hereinafter The Register), by submitting a ‘responsible declaration’.
Does the registration process for a single dwelling differ from that of several?
People may process registrations, modifications of up to four tourist homes using the new electronic platform of the Autonomous Government, (link here: www.turisme.gva.es/opencms/open cms/turisme/es/contents/ tramitacion/viviendas_turis ticas/autoregistro_viviendas .html), unless these homes have a capacity greater than 16 bed places or are on undeveloped land (agricultural land or ‘Rustic Land’ as it was known many years ago), in which case the process will have to be done through the official digital platform which can be found here: www.gva.es/es/inicio/proce dimientos?id_proc=14752 or by the old face-to-face procedure by going to an official Valencian office.
If you manage more than five properties and wish to register them you must register as a management company: in which case all the regulations, procedures and responsible declarations are available from: www.turisme. gva.es/opencms/opencms/ turisme/es/contents/tramita cion/empresa_turistica/faq_ preguntas_frecuentes_vivien das_turisticas.html.
Exceptionally this process may be done in person (face to face).
Can you register any home? What requirements do I have to meet?
The house must have an ‘occupation license’ or occupancy certificate and must be sufficiently furnished and equipped with the necessary appliances and equipment for immediate occupation, and in perfect sanitary condition.
The mandatory requirements according to the category can be found in Annex I of Decree 92/2009, of July 3, of the regional government and can be found here: www.dogv.gva.es/auto/dogv/ docvpub/rlgv/2009/D_2009_ 092_ca_D_2015_075.pdf
If the property is located on undeveloped land, an urban planning procedure must be previously processed (Declaration of Community Interest or exceptionally exempted from it). The procedure to follow depends on the specific characteristics of the house and its location, so you must request information at the town hall where the tourist home is located.
OK, what is the cost of this registration process?
The cost from the tourism office is €0, except for the cost of acquiring a copy of the ‘claims sheets’ (hojas de reclamaciones) that you must have in a visible place in your home and the cost of making the official badge that has to be displayed on the property.
Where can the so called ‘claims sheets’ be obtained?
The holders of establishments, companies and/or professionals can acquire them from the Territorial Services of Commerce and Consumption, (Servicios Territoriales de Comercio y Consumo). Prior payment is required; payment details for the ‘claims sheets’ can be obtained from: www.hisenda. gva.es/es/web/tributos-yjuego/tributos-impuestos-declaraciones-tasas-046-consindustria
If you also require the mandatory sign indicating the existence of the claim forms, it can be downloaded and printed directly from: http:// www.indi.gva.es/documents/ 161328197/ 16133 3046/Cartell+Fulls+de+Recla macions+per+al+establiment /d6ad8c5a-30ae-468d-a60a-457f 0c302524
Should I advertise the registration number?
Yes, both the registration number assigned to each dwelling and its category must be included in all types of advertising that you may carry out. If it is a management company that manages different dwellings in the same building, it is sufficient to publicise the registration number of the management company, but you must have a duly updated list where each advertised dwelling is identified with its registration number. More next week friends.