AVAT does not rule out the possibility that affected owners might sue the State for damages suffered, while others may seek a refund of the fees paid.
SOURCE: PERIÓDICO DE IBIZA Y FORMENTERA, 23 MAY 2026
S. Ribas
The Ibiza Association of Vacation Rental Homes (AVAT) welcomed the Supreme Court's decision this Friday to strike down the single registry for short-term rentals. The Court ruled that the State lacks the authority to establish comprehensive regulations for a national registry that "overlaps with existing regional registries" regarding tourist accommodation.
José Antonio Llano, the association's president, praised the ruling on a measure that "was clearly destined to be struck down from the start, as it forced properties—already legalized through their respective regional government registries—to undergo a second registration process," thereby creating unnecessary duplication despite the central government lacking the jurisdiction to mandate it.
"There were cases of fully legal properties that, due to various circumstances, had been unable to obtain the single registration number and were consequently deemed illegal, even though they were not," Llano emphasized, acknowledging that the sector is breathing a sigh of relief following the Supreme Court's decision.
"Now it remains to be seen whether the owners of the affected properties can claim compensation from the State for the problems caused. That possibility exists," he concluded. Llano suggested that, in addition, a refund could be sought for the fees paid for the single registration number.
Numerous homes in Ibiza were adversely affected by the central government's move to create that single rental registry. In fact, the Ibiza Island Council (*Consell d’Eivissa*) sent a letter last October to the Minister of Housing, Isabel Rodríguez, highlighting the harm the measure was causing to many property owners in Ibiza—more than 300, according to their estimates.
For its part, the regional government (*Govern*) had forwarded to the island authority a letter received from the Ministry in September, requesting inspections and closure orders for tourist rental properties allegedly operating illegally. In this regard, the Council explained that, upon receiving the list of single registration numbers revoked by the Property Registry, it was found that 326 numbers had been revoked on the island of Ibiza; practically 90% of these corresponded to properties already listed in the island's registry of tourism companies, activities, and establishments.
The single registry for short-term rentals came into effect on January 2, 2025, although compliance did not become mandatory until July 1 of that same year. Upon learning of the decision, the island's vice-president, Mariano Juan, explained on social media that Ibiza had been "warning about this for months. Months. We in Ibiza warned that the Single Registry for short-term rentals was poorly designed; it created redundancies and legal uncertainty, and would ultimately harm those who comply with the law. We were ignored."
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