Barcelona approves an IBI rise of up to 150% for tourist flats

Barcelona City Council has approved an increase of up to 150% in property tax for tourist flats when the holder is an owner or company with at least four licences. The measure is therefore aimed at operators with several tourist-use homes. Economist Santiago Niño Becerra has questioned its effectiveness, arguing that it will not deter these owners.

The IBI is the municipal tax levied on ownership of real estate and is paid annually to the local council. In Barcelona, tourist flats require a licence and have long been central to the debate over residential use and pressure in certain neighbourhoods.

For those holding several tourist licences, the change may mean a higher municipal tax burden. Affected owners will need to check how it is reflected in the by-law and in their bills, without assuming that it automatically changes the treatment of other properties.