The mayor of Palma said the staggering figure of 15,000 would represent between 40% and 50% of all the illegal rentals across the Spanish island.

08:23, Fri, Jul 4, 2025 | UPDATED: 08:38, Fri, Jul 4, 2025

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The mayor of Palma warned of illegal holiday homes in the area. (Image: Getty)

There could be a shocking 15,000 illegal holiday homes in Majorca's capital Palma, the mayor has warned. Jaime Martínez signed an agreement to curb and inspect these tourist rentals with president of the Council of Majorca, Llorenç Galmés. Mr Martínez added that the staggering figure of 15,000 would represent between 40% and 50% of all the illegal rentals across the Spanish island.

Both deparments will coordinate their efforts to penalise the owners of the properties when they break tourism, urban planning and municipal civic rules. Health and trade inspectors from the regional government will share their findings with the City Council and raise any complaints that arise during their work.

Aerial View of Palma de Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain

There could be 15,000 illegal holiday homes in Palma, the mayor said. (Image: Getty)

Mr Galmés praised the new joint effort, stressing the importance of protecting Majorca's tourism industry by ensuring it is regulated.

He said the council is "determined to be more effective" in rooting out and penalising illegal holiday homes, which "not only damage Mallorca’s image, but also cause problems of coexistence in the municipalities".

The council president added: "With this agreement, we are joining forces to provide an effective response to illegal activity and the illegal market, to promote coexistence between residents and tourists, as this is another part of the Council of Majorca’s strategy to protect Majorca’s tourism model and safeguard the interests of residents and the regulated sector."

The Town Council’s Urban Planning Department and the Palma Local Police will also be involved in taking action against anti-social tourism, Majorca Daily Bulletin reports.

The coordinated effort will also look into youth hostels that advertise and operate illegally as tourist hostels.

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Earlier this year, Spain cracked down on illegal tourist flats across the country, issuing nearly £1 million in fines to landlords. A total of 10 owners of these properties have been handed down €80,000 (£68,000) fines each in Palma alone.

The apartments on Calle Gaspar Bennazar did not have the proper license to be run as holiday homes and now must not be rented out to anyone else.

Majorca Council's tourism department issued the fines following a protest outside the block of flats last summer. Now, inspectors are due to check the closure of the flats has been properly enforced, and if not, it'll be dealt with by the prosecutor's office.

The island's head of tourism, Jose Marcial Rodriguez Diaz, said the fines came after "long work" as his department "scrupulously complied with all administrative processes".