More and more owners in Alcossebre find themselves in the same situation: they want to rent out their apartment, but the owners' association won't approve tourist use or has banned it outright. Since April 2025 the Ley de Propiedad Horizontal (Spain's law on owners' associations) has required the association's prior agreement by a 3/5 majority, and the Generalitat Valenciana asks for it to register the property. Without that agreement there's no tourist licence. But that doesn't mean your apartment has to sit empty.
Please note: this page is for information only and is not legal or tax advice. It reflects the rules as at 14 October 2026, in the middle of a reform. Before signing any contract, have your case reviewed by a professional; at Casa Azahar we'll go through it with you.
What counts as a tourist rental in the Valencia region
Under article 65 of the Ley 15/2018 de turismo (the Valencian tourism law), a tourist-use dwelling is a home let in its entirety, for tourist purposes, for 10 days or fewer in a row to the same guest. It's this short let that requires registration in the Registro de Turismo (tourism register), a municipal planning compatibility report and the owners' association's approval (we explain it in the guide to the tourist rental licence in Alcossebre).
A let of 11 days or more is no longer a tourist rental under Valencian rules. And the 3/5 agreement in the Ley de Propiedad Horizontal (article 17.12) refers specifically to the tourist activity in article 5.e of the Ley de Arrendamientos Urbanos (Spain's tenancy law). That's why longer stays are the natural alternative when the association shuts the door on holiday lets. Even so, check your association's registered bylaws (estatutos): some contain their own restrictions on use that need to be read case by case.
The real options for your apartment
| Option | Length | What to bear in mind |
|---|---|---|
| Stays of several weeks | From 11 nights to a month | Long holidays, fortnights and summer months; the legal framework is being redefined in October 2026 |
| Temporary monthly let | More than 31 days, generally up to 12 months | Under Real Decreto-ley 29/2026 it requires a genuine, provable reason for being away from home (work, studies, building work on the main residence…) stated in the contract |
| Long-term let | The tenant's main home (5 years, or 7 if the landlord is a company) | Steady income, but you lose the use of the apartment in summer |
| Combining periods | For example, winter months and summer fortnights | Needs careful planning of the calendar and the type of contract for each stay |
Which option pays best depends on your building, the size of the apartment, the dates when you want to use it yourself and how the rules end up. That's why we don't give one-size-fits-all answers: we look at your specific case.
What changes with Real Decreto-ley 29/2026
The Spanish government approved Real Decreto-ley 29/2026 of 6 October (BOE of 7 October), which replaces Real Decreto-ley 26/2026, which Congress did not ratify. It has been in force since 8 October 2026 and must be ratified by the Diputación Permanente (standing committee) of Congress; if it isn't, it lapses. The changes that most affect owners are:
- Temporary lets: defined as those that meet the housing needs of someone temporarily away from their usual home for a justified, provable reason. They must last more than 31 days and, as a general rule, no more than 12 months. Without a genuine reason, or if more than two contracts are chained between the same parties, the contract becomes a main-residence tenancy.
- Tourist lets: letting a furnished home for tourist purposes under the sector-specific rules may never exceed 31 days.
- VAT: from 1 December 2026, letting furnished homes for 30 nights or fewer to the same tenant will be subject to 10% VAT (IVA), even without hotel-type services (unless it is the landlord's main residence).
- Earlier contracts: seasonal contracts signed before the reform keep their rules until they expire, with no extension.
The line between tourist, temporary and main-residence lets is shifting, and it doesn't apply the same way in every Spanish region. Choosing the right type of contract and length for each stay is now the difference between a profitable let and a problem.
Why Casa Azahar to rent out your apartment without a tourist licence
Casa Azahar is an apartment management company in Alcossebre with a long track record in the town: it lets apartments in more than twenty buildings, from Las Fuentes and the marina to the Cargador, Playa Romana and the Serra d'Irta. And it's part of the same group that runs three hotels on the coast: Hotel Alcossebre, Alcossebre Sea Experience and Gran Hotel Peñíscola.
That combination gives us an overview of demand that a private owner simply can't have:
- We see real demand every week. Our apartments and hotels show us who is looking for accommodation, when and for how long, in Alcossebre and in Peñíscola. We use that data to set your apartment's price and availability.
- We know long-stay guests. Retired people who spend the winter on the coast, professionals posted here for work, families who holiday by the fortnight or the month, and foreign visitors who come back every year. We know what they ask for (a lift, heating, internet, a parking space) and where to find them.
- We maximise income without the risks. For each period of the year we choose the most profitable option within the law: summer fortnights and months, winter stays or temporary contracts with a stated reason, and we explain the figures to you before we start.
- We have our own team in town. An office for key handover on Avenida Las Fuentes, 11, plus cleaning, maintenance and tenant support throughout the stay.
Full management: we take care of everything
- Initial advice: we look at your building, your association's bylaws and resolutions, the dates you want to use it and the most suitable type of contract.
- Marketing: a listing on the Casa Azahar website and on long-stay channels, with photos and a description in several languages.
- Pricing and availability: weekly and monthly rates adjusted to real demand in each season.
- Tenants and contracts: tenant selection, a contract tailored to the length of and reason for the stay, deposit and rent collection.
- Keys and check-in: handover and return at our office, with no key boxes in the street.
- Cleaning and linen: a thorough clean between tenants and, if agreed, during the stay.
- Maintenance: checks on the apartment and repairs, keeping the owner informed.
- Tenant support: a phone number to call throughout the stay.
- Guest registration: reporting to SES.Hospedajes when the stay requires it.
How we get started
- Tell us about your case using the owners' form: building, apartment number, bedrooms and, in the message, whether your association has rejected or banned tourist use.
- A manager reviews your situation: the applicable rules, your association's bylaws and real demand for your type of apartment.
- We propose a plan with the calendar, the type of stays and an income estimate.
- We start letting and you receive the income. You decide which dates you keep for your own use.
If your association does end up approving tourist use, we can also help you get the licence and manage nightly lets: it's all in holiday rental management in Alcossebre.