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Council under threat of legal action over illegal tourism

The Menorcan Hoteliers' Association has warned it could take the Island Council to court if no replies are received to its 49 letters of complaint

Rentals. Many of the ‘suspect’ properties are British-owned

C.M.W.Maó28/06/10 0:00

The ongoing battle between the Menorcan Hoteliers' Association (ASHOME) and properties being let to tourists without the proper authorisation continues. Over the last five months the association has written 49 letters to the Island Council's Councillor for Tourism, Lázaro Criado, with details of more than 12,000 beds which are being advertised for rent on the Internet, presumably illegally, and asking for action from the inspectors. ASHOME has provided a list of holiday accommodation including details, photographs, location, prices and telephone numbers of the properties believed to lack the relevant legal authorisation.

Tired of waiting for a response, the association has now written to the President of the Island Council, Marc Pons, warning that if no reply is forthcoming, the Council will be denounced for inactivity and an appeal may be lodged with the courts. ASHOME believes that its duty was to make the facts known to the Island Council, as the institution with responsibility for such matters, so that action could be taken.

The 12,000 beds believed to be operating illegally represent 20% of the total tourist accommodaton on the island and, apart from being a bottomless well for the black economy and unfair competition for those acting legally, if they are not up to standard they could paint a poor picture of the island. Additionally, many of these illegal properties have British owners so any profits go abroad and do not benefit the island.

In response, the Councillor for Tourism, Lázaro Criado, stated that, since February, inspectors had visited 219 apartments, villas and rural houses that were suspected of being let to tourists illegally. He added that the department had also studied 21 of the 49 letters sent by ASHOME and would reply once more information was available. He described the difficulties encountered by the inspectors in not being able to inspect empty properties and of needing a court order to enter and, further, of proving that they were being rented to tourists illegally.