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Seville to make Airbnbs install noise meters
Holiday lets in the Andalucia capital will have to ensure their guests keep the noise down this summer
Spanish holiday hotspots are taking a tougher line against rowdy tourists this year and the picturesque and popular Andalusian capital has come up with a novel way to ensure peace and quiet: noise meters that measure decibel levels in rental properties.
The local government in Seville has ruled that Airbnbs and other short-term rental apartments and villas will have to install these contraptions that will alert the owners if their tenants are being too loud.
If the meter registers noise above the acceptable levels and the landlords or custodians fail to act, they will face hefty fines.
President of the Association of Professionals of Tourist Housing and Tourist Apartments of Andalusia (AVVA PRO), Carlos Pérez-Lanzac, has welcomed the restrictions that will now allow the Seville authorities to “control and penalise people who act badly”, although he believes that it is “more complicated” for the apartment manager to be “responsible for the acts of third parties”.
The radical move comes after months of complaints from locals, who have bemoaned the fact that many areas of the city are taken over by partying tourists, particularly in the summer months.
José Luis Sanz, Seville’s mayor, said: “I want to reclaim the neighbourhood for the residents, making it a friendly place for residents and not, as it is now, a friendly place for tourists.”
The newly-elected mayor echoed sentiments expressed by councillors in many other parts of Spain, vowing to limit the amount of tourist accommodation in Seville and to make the historic centre habitable again.
Other measures the city authorities have considered include the introduction of a tourist tax in Seville, charging holidaymakers 1 euro to stay for the night in city centre accommodation.
The in-demand area of Santa Cruz attracts a huge number of holidaymakers every year and today, around six out of every 10 properties are short-term rentals. To further cut down on the noise in Seville, the new law also plans to limit the number of guests that can stay in each city property at one time.
Image: Emilio J. Rodríguez Posada via Wikimedia Commons
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