While looking for something else, I stumbeled across these two:

http://www.janetanscombe.com/news/inspe ... ially.html

http://www.thetenerifeforum.com/showthr ... mmercially

The bottom one, albeit full of "rubbish" posts, has given me food for thoughts....

How is the situation in Lanzarote ?

Very very interesting indeed. I've wondered about this subject for quite some time and am in two frames of mind. On one hand I believe all should pay the appropriate taxes of the land, and especially when you choose to live abroad from your homeland (listen to all the Brits who cry of immigrants who scrounge from the uk system). But on the other, if it is purely because the hoteliers have put pressure on the government into action, I feel many visitors will look to holiday elsewhere rather than be forced to pay hotel prices and this in turn may further decimate a vulnerable touristic-dependant economy. But I feel the first stance has a more valid moral obligation. Hmmmm.......

I agree 100%....

Also seen from the perspective of those letters that do it legally, - it must be nothing but sadness to see how your next door neighbour is prospering because he can do it cheaper than yourself.....

I know a few legal ones. They are not happy with their non-legal countrymen......

Your comparison with immigrants in UK is spot on.........

My understanding has always been that the definition of "friends & family" is very loose and is designed to protect hotels & established apartments. After all if you own your own property what business is it of anyone else who you let it to? This might even breach EU fair trading laws.

The tax issue is a separate issue though, people should be paying the taxes.

If I had bought a house in a residential complex, - I would have expected more piece and quiet than if I had bought in a tourist complex. Family and friends should be good, - but when the owner barely sets his feet on the ground himself, and the place is constantly full of people.........?

Sometimes even found on international sites as free to rent ...?

There's a reason why letting from residential complexes in general are illegal. If you do let, - you brake the law. Regardless of whether you like that law or not.

Back to the immigrant comparison. Some may not like the laws of their new country, - would it then be ok for them to neglect them ?

I don't think so.....


PS: How can you pay taxes for an illegal income ?

If it wasn't illegal in the first place it would be easy to tax people for it. I don't see why people should not be allowed to let their own properties to who they wish.

And anyway, don't you think the authorities have so far turned a blind eye for a reason? Do you really think so many people from the UK and elsewhere would be able to afford holiday homes on Lanzarote if they couldn't let them out to subsidise their expenditure?

Unfortunately, that really does say a lot about many people today. It used to be the case that if you can't afford something, then you don't buy it. But thanks to a mindset that was introduced some 30 years ago, people will get what they want using any means, say buy abroad and let it out to 'subsidise their expenditure' (love that wee phrase, btw), while letting the property requires a license which they decide to swerve (not pay for) in order to further 'subsidise their expenditure' and in turn, not pay into the society they own the property on. A selfish attitude? One that is rife? hmmmmmm the moral dilemma

I don't know anyone that's bought a property, either in the UK or abroad that has paid up front for it, not even 30 years ago.



I don't think it's a matter of deciding to swerve the cost of a license, the licenses don't seem to be available to people who have bought property on "residential" complexes.

I've already said that people should pay taxes on what they earn from their property and if it requires they buy a license then they should buy that too. But the authorities should not be able to stop property owners from letting their properties to who they want.

They have not issued licences for some years. By "paying up front", do you exclude mortgages? We never let our property here out in the four years before we moved. I am somewhat ambivalent about letting out on residential complexes - a nimby if you like. I can see that if it were not done, then the island economy would suffer. However, I'm glad I'm on a residencia that keeps it to a minimum. I'd hate to live next door to a villa that was rented out ot string of people living it up because "it's only a week and we're on holiday, so I don't have to live next door to those neighbours next week".

If they impose large fines on people to make a point, without allowing them to have licences, they'll kill the economy, before they can replace it with something else. Ryanair would certainly pull out; they don't service the package AI trade, but the self propelled, in hotels or villas.

I have to say I am with Renee all the way here.....

Btw, I paid cash on delivery if you like, no loans, no mortgages, no nothing. And I live on a tourist complex where a lot of letting is going on. Even there it is difficult (and expensive) to meet the legal requirements. Smoke detectors, emergency keys for steel bars if escape is needed through windows, fire extinguishers, fire blankets et. etc. Also insurance fees, reception fees etc. tally up. I don't let myself, but having spoken to a few Brits that do, - they are NOT happy with the illegal letters which they see as "free riders" and "pirates" that should be removed from the marketplace........

I do understand them.....

And oddly enough, it seems to be the above category who complains the most about UK immigrants and how they suck the system in UK. Where's the logic ?