Tourism license - Page 5

Hi! 

Applied in January 2019 in La Zenia. Still hasn't received anything...

Question -- how does registering guests work when you rent out using AirBnB or Booking? Do you do it manually? Are passport numbers/scans required? 

If so, I'd imagine this may make many guests uncomfortable to share their passport data with the host.

I heard that Orihuela Town Hall are now processing the Compliance Certificate applications from December and January, so maybe you will get that soon, then you will be able to apply for your license - which will probably take a least another 6 months.

Once you have you license you have to register with the Guardia Civil.  They will give you your personal log-in details and you will enter the guests passport details that way within 24 hours of their arrival.  It is your responsibility to gather that info, not the advertising/booking site you use.  Full passport details of all guests age 16 years or over.  For insurance reasons we also have names and ages of any minors listed on the contract too, but no further personal details on children.

Frankly there are more suitable sites than Booking and AirBnB.  Use sites that give you control over who stays and when, that allow you to vet the guests before accepting the booking so you stay in control of who stays at your property and when.  Whatever site you use you will still need to collect the guests' personal details, get a signed contract, have some sort of basic GDPR statement about use of their data, use a cleaner and have a keyholder on call (if you are not local) who is registered to work in Spain.  You will also need specialist holiday let insurance. 

If a guest stays in a hotel they have to hand over their passport for scanning or they don't get their room keys!  No difference.  We state on the booking form and on our own web site that as a legal let these details will be required so everyone is fully aware before they even book.  It has never been an issue.

Don't fret too much about how to register guests with the Guardia Civil at this stage.  Concentrate on getting your Certificate and applying for your license.  When you register with the Guardia Civil they will explain it all to you or you can ask again for help at that stage.  

Remember that you can be fined for advertising or letting an unlicensed property, so please be patient.  The back log has been caused by those owners who were ignoring the law change and did not apply for licenses when they should have - the law changed in 2015 and the authorities gave 3 years for owners to comply (ample time) before the crackdown started, so there was a flood of applications in 2018 as illegal letting owners all scrambled to 'get legal'.  Plus no Town Halls were ready for issuing their Compatibility Certificates when they came in just over a year ago so those applications backed up as well.  

Six months to get your tourism licence is optimistic, we are still waiting our first reply after sending all the required documentation across last August......

Thanks @Davebev!

Curious about keyholder -- what about the case where I setup automatic access to my property (a lockbox with a code)?

Regarding the cleaner -- am I required to submit any forms where I need to provide details about her?

Sorry if that's off-topic, I can start a separate thread.

Thanks,

You will need someone on call for the property in case of emergencies.  All kinds of issues can arise from them not being able to master the TV remote (even with the most detailed instructions!), to blind cords breaking, to washing machine going wrong etc.  Also you need someone to arrange for the registration forms to be signed when the guests arrive and store them until you can collect them on your next visit.  It is far better to have a meet and greet and registration rather than guests let themselves in and someone have to call round later to get the signatures.  Your cleaner could be that person of course.  Whoever you use must be registered to work in Spain.  The Guardia Civil seem to vary from office to office as to how much detail they want regarding who holds keys if you are a non-resident but if they want those details they will ask for them when you register with them after receiving your license.

"Also you need someone to arrange for the registration forms to be signed when the guests arrive..." 

Is this a requirement from Guardia Civil? How these forms should look like and how long they should be kept?

You are getting ahead of yourself.  First get your Certificate from the Town Hall then apply for the license.  If you get that, which will take over a year at current times scales, then you register with the Guardia Civil (another couple of months wait) and you will then have explained to you what has to be done.  They may even change the system again in another 18 months time!  But currently, yes, there is a requirement for the guests' passport details to be registered with the Guardia Civil and for the guests to sign registration forms on arrival showing those details (just as you do when you stay at a hotel).

The days have gone when you just advertised a property, took someone's money, posted keys to people and left them to it (I am glad to say).  

I have been following this post which has been very informative. I have the certificate from the town hall and am now waiting for the license. It states in the previous post that it's taking a year to get the license . Is this estimated time to get the certificate of compatabiliry and the license in total . I waited 8 months for the town hall certificate and am hoping not to have to wait too long for the license . Was hoping to be up and running in time for next years summer rental. 

Agree totally.

Just annoying when you know of those not confirming to regulations yet we do it by the law.

I understand that they are still around 6-8 months behind with the license applications too and most Guardia Civil appointments are a couple of months wait too.