The Consumer Affairs Department has opened a disciplinary procedure against a second real estate agency for alleged abusive practices in rental management.

The Ministry of Consumer Affairs has opened a disciplinary case against a national real estate agency for alleged abusive practices in the management of rentals, although its identity cannot be revealed at this time. Among the irregularities being investigated are the possible collection of illegal commissions and the imposition of unsolicited insurance , contrary to the provisions of the Housing Law , which expressly prohibits passing on property management and contract formalization fees to tenants.

This is not the first time that the department headed by Pablo Bustinduy has acted in this area. The first intervention took place at the end of March, when it sanctioned the company Alquiler Seguro for these same acts. And it may not be the last. This ministerial action is part of an investigation initiated in October following complaints filed by the Tenants' Union (CECU) and consumer associations such as FACUA and OCU. The investigation remains open and could lead to new proceedings against other agencies for similar practices. Ministry sources indicate that they cannot reveal the names of companies involved in open sanctioning proceedings. "In the previous case, it was the company involved, Alquiler Seguro, that made its name public in the media, taking responsibility for its involvement." All of this occurs at a time of maximum tension in the real estate market, marked by rising prices and a shortage of affordable housing, a situation that particularly affects the young population.

If violations are confirmed, fines could range from €100,000 to €1 million , depending on the severity of the offenses and the economic benefit obtained illegally. In particularly serious cases, fines can be six or eight times the profit obtained.

In this context, the Ministry of Consumer Affairs has been particularly active. In addition to the two open proceedings against real estate agencies, there are also ongoing proceedings against the tourist rental platform Airbnb . The Directorate General of Consumer Affairs accuses the company of hosting thousands of listings on its website that violate regulations governing the advertising of tourist accommodation. Among the violations detected are: the absence of the license or registration number—mandatory under various regional regulations and the most frequent among the listings analyzed; the lack of information on the legal status of the landlord (whether it is a company or an individual), a key factor in determining the level of consumer protection; and the inclusion of false license numbers or those not issued by the authorities, which can be misleading or deceptive. Thus, the Minister of Consumer Affairs ordered the immediate blocking of 65,935 listings considered illegal .

The ministry emphasizes that "housing is a right and a basic necessity protected by law." Therefore, all these actions are part of the Ministry of Social Rights and Consumer Affairs' priority objective of guaranteeing access to decent housing and protecting the rights of consumers.

In addition, the department has developed information campaigns aimed at rental market operators, with the aim of warning about potential abusive practices in contracts. Finally, the Directorate General for Consumer Affairs reminds consumers that the opening of a disciplinary proceeding does not prejudge the final outcome of the investigation.