The double life of Ibiza, with skyrocketing rents and residents forced to live in their cars
[ad_1]
ROME – One green sedan parked behind the wonderful beaches of Ibiza, it has been the new home of the young Spanish chef for three years César Nebrera. Tell the BBC that because of the super rental costs on the Spanish island, increased dramatically since the pandemic, Nebrera can no longer afford to live in an apartment. What increases are we talking about? Six rental prices in the Balearic Islands have risen on average by 18% in the last year alone, compared to an average increase of 12% at a national level, those of Ibiza they achieved an incredible boom of 40% to 50%.
Living in tents or shared houses
“In Ibiza, accommodation is very expensive, and it’s getting more and more expensive,” complains the chef, “and the cost of rent is completely different from what you earn. So living in a car is an alternative. It’s less convenient, but I allows you to stay on the island.” Nebrera’s case is not an isolated one. Many local professionals – who had a peaceful life – now live in equally precarious conditions due to the rental boom and they are moved to tents or shared accommodation. Daniel Grandaspokesperson for Syndicate of Tenants of Ibiza and Formentera, an organization representing local tenants, explains that extreme situations are becoming commonplace. Ibiza’s status as a tourist hub located in a relatively small area has boosted expensive rents on the island, leading to uncontrolled increases. Any examples? A Ca single room costs between 700 and 1,000 euros (760 and 1,086 dollars; 600 and 857 pounds) per month, while a modest apartment can cost around 1,500 EUR.
Between short-term rentals and failure to comply with the rules
There are two causes for the phenomenon. On the one hand the conservative regional government of the Balearic Islandswho came to power last year, chose to do not implement the housing law approved by the Spanish government in Madrid which seeks to limit rents in the most touristy areas of the country. On the other hand, local authorities attribute the housing problem to homeowners in residential areas breaking the law putting their short-term rental properties on the market, when local laws say they must rent for at least six months at a time. They have been made since 2019 fines for around 4 million euros relating to illegal activities in the tourism sector. But the owners do not give up blinded by the profits. “The problem is that you earn much more by renting for days or weeks than by renting according to the law,” explains Juan Miguel Costa, head of tourism in Ibiza.
[ad_2]
Source link
