Don't take risks and rent your holiday home with complete peace of mind
Every day more people use their second home to rent it during holiday periods. It is a great way to take advantage of this property and a practical way that will even help us to have an income and to cover the expenses generated by the apartment. It is true that, when it comes to renting our house to strangers, we may have many doubts and concerns, one more reason to take out an insurance policy for tourist housing or holiday rentals. Currently, it is highly recommended doing so and in fact already mandatory in most Autonomous Communities that have regulated the rental by law for tourist housing and holiday rental. Through these lines I inform you of what you need to know about Insurance for tourist housing and holiday rental.
Is it necessary or compulsory to have Insurance for tourist housing or holiday rental?
As the so-called "collaborative economy ” has gradually increased in recent years, more people have decided to dedicate their second home to holiday rental or tourism. This situation has in fact led or provoked, for a variety of reasons, official organisations to take an interest in the way in which it is developing. Therefore in many Autonomous Communities this activity is regulated.
The first thing you will have to do and it is very important, inform yourself of the legislation at a local level un your Autonomous Community "In this case the Autonomous Community of the Canary Islands" , to know in advance what obligations you have as the owner of a home for holiday rental. Most often and normally, you have to have for your home for this use and business a Civil liability insurance or specific multi-risk that includes civil liability, for this type of housing.
Here I give you a few examples of many other requirements and conditions of use that regulates 2512 DECREE 113/2015, of May 22, which approves the Regulation of holiday homes in the Autonomous Community of the Canary Islands, and which I will explain in detail in the second part of this article. There will be an information poster in each holiday home, in a visible place, with a telephone number for assistance, at least from 8.00 h to 20.00 h, which will allow any incident relating to it to be resolved, as well as telephone numbers and addresses of the emergency and health services, written at least in Spanish and English.
In the Canary Islands the Civil Liability Insurance, as in any tourist activity, is not compulsory, but highly recommended, for people, companies and entities that sell accommodation in tourist homes for civil or criminal claims that users of tourist homes may suffer during bodily or material damage during their stays, and even the communities of owners.
In addition to this Insurance combined with multi-risk, it is highly recommended for the different coverage that the policy, continent, content, etc. entails. That is to say, Civil Liability will take care of what may happen to guests (if a roof breaks off injuring someone, for example), a fire whose responsibility may be attributable to the landlord. By means of continent and content coverage of what happens to our home.
Euroteide Insurance (Insurance advisers) offers you exclusive policies for this type of activity. Fire, theft, with coverage for water damage, pipe breakage, humidity, electrical damage, natural phenomena, etc. Interestingly, the insurance also covers us in the event that a guest is burgled in the house. It is not usual that it happens, but the probabilities of it happening there are given that this type of housing is often uninhabited for long periods of time and constitutes a clear claim for criminals.
How much does the insurance for tourist apartments or holiday rentals cost?
Many of us find it annoying to have to seek and buy insurance because of a legal obligation, but if we think about it for a moment and analyse it, we will see the stress and headaches that it can avoid us, we will reach the conclusion that it is not expensive compared to the benefits we will obtain. From 250 euros per year you can have this insurance. It is important to distinguish between individuals who only have one flat to use for this purpose, and companies or professionals who manage a large number of flats, whose risk is higher, so it is important to take out policies with higher cover, especially in Civil Liability.
In other words and ultimately , although it is not a compulsory insurance or for today in the Autonomous Community of the Canary Islands, in most of the Autonomous Communities it is. For this type of activity and tourist services, you would want to have the support of the best Insurance, since accidents are unpredictable.
Apart from the above, it is important to count on an expert, a good Insurance advisor; in this case Euroteide Insurance (Insurance Brokers and Consultants) who will inform and advise you of all the details and possibilities before contracting the policy, so that everything is in accordance with your needs when any unforeseen event occurs and you feel safe renting your flat, house, villa, for holiday rentals.
After having commented on the importance of this insurance for the exploitation of holiday houses, I will list what 2512 DECREE 113/2015, of May 22 requires to have this type of housing completely legal.
What are the tourist requirements that must be met by "tourist homes" before their first rental?
1º.- Be built in accordance with urban planning regulations, land use and building planning, and have the required licenses and authorizations (in no case can they be located on tourist land that is in tourist areas, in tourist developments or residential mixed tourist developments).
2º.- Have any of the following administrative documents:
- Declaration of occupation of real estate or facilities, as established in article 166.bis of the Consolidated Text of the laws of the Territorial Planning of the Canary Islands and Natural Spaces of the Canary Islands that you can consult here.
- Habitability certificate or first occupation license based on the conditions established in Decree 117/2006, of August 1, which regulates the habitability conditions of housing.
3º.- The design and dimensions must be such as to admit an adequate supply of furniture, facilitating, along with its facilities and equipment, rest and clothing activities, cleaning, maintenance, living, storage and access to telecommunications services.
4º.- The minimum dimensions, equipment elements and computation of the useful square meters of the housing program, as well as its occupation, according to the number of double or individual bedrooms it has, must be in accordance with what is required in Decree 117/2006, of August 1.
5º.- They must be furnished and equipped for immediate use and according to the number of travelers and the activity to be carried out. The minimum equipment is as follows:
a. General equipment:
- Interior security lock on access doors.
- First aid kit.
b. Equipment in the bedroom:
- Lighting for reading next to each bed.
- Effective darkening system for each bedroom.
- Hangers made of non-deformable material and homogeneous style suitable for the number of users.
- Double beds (1,35 x 1,90 cm) or single beds (0,90 x 1,90 cm).
- Minimum equipment and sufficient bedding for travelers. If the contract exceeds one week, another bedding set must be provided.
c. Equipment in the bathroom:
- Mirror.
- Dryer.
- Toilet paper roll holder.
- Mat.
- Support to contain the bathroom objects of travelers.
- Towel rail.
- Hooks or hangers.
- Shower or bath screen.
- Bath towel for each traveler. If the contract is for more than a week, another set must be provided.
d. Kitchen equipment:
- Oven or microwave
- Coffee maker.
- Crockery, cutlery and glassware sufficient for the number of travelers staying.
- Sufficient kitchenware and linen for the handling and consumption of food.
- Cleaning tools.
- Iron and ironing board.
6º.- The house must be properly preserved while it is being used as a tourist house.
From a tourist perspective, what additional requirements must my "tourist accommodation" meet while I am renting it out?
In addition to the general requirements, which must be met at all times while the tourist activity lasts, you must take into account the following aspects:
1º.- The house has to be assigned two or more times within a year to different users or once a year, but repeatedly to the same user.
2º.- The house has to be marketed or promoted in travel agencies, reservation centers and other intermediation companies and organization of tourist services (including virtual intermediation channels), web pages for promotion, advertising, booking or rental or advertised by any means of communication.
3º.- The houses must be rented in exchange for an economic consideration and it must be taken into account that:
In the house, the prices of the accommodation service must be exposed, containing the date on which they are publicly announced, and, therefore, they are applied.
It will not be possible to charge higher prices, it will not be possible to charge for items that are not requested or that are not indicated in the tourist offer channels or that are not reflected in the document that must be delivered to the user at the time of hiring.
4º.- The hiring of the holiday homes must be made in writing prior to their effective occupation or at an earlier time, by means of a document drawn up at least in Spanish and English to be signed by the parties and in which it must be collected the following:
The conditions outlined in the contract.
The hours and maximum number of people who can occupy the home.
The prices to be charged for the accommodation service, with the IGIC (General Indirect Canary Tax) included.
5º.- The advertising, offer and management of the houses must comply with the requirements of truthfulness, objectivity and good faith, providing users with sufficient information on their characteristics, the conditions of use and the benefits included in the contracted services.
6º.- The registration number must be included in the General Tourist Registry of the Autonomous Community of the Canary Islands assigned in all forms of advertising, whichever medium used.
7º.- The promotion of holiday homes must be carried out in such a way that it does not lead to confusion or error regarding its modality or typology, its non-hotel modality and its type of holiday home being expressly clear.
8º.- Prior to the formalisation of the reservation or contracting of the accommodation service, information must be provided on the conditions of access to the holiday home, times of entry and exit, admission of pets, reservation system and prices of the service offered, as well as any other requirement necessary for the use of the home.
9º.- Users must be informed of the facilities or services that pose a risk and of the security measures taken.
10º.- In each house there must be an informative poster in a visible place with a telephone number for attention, at least during the hours of 8:00 to 20:00 hours, which allows any incident related to it to be resolved, as well as telephone numbers and addresses of the emergency and health services, written at least in Spanish and English.
11º.- The following prohibitions must be posted visibly in an easy-to-read area within each holiday home, at least in the Spanish and English languages and made known to users, prior to or at the time of contracting:
To use the holiday home for purposes other than those for which it was contracted.
Carry out any activity that is in contradiction with the usual uses of coexistence, hygiene and public order or that prevents the normal rest of other users of the property.
12º.- It is forbidden to accommodate a greater number of people than those that correspond to the capacity of the house established by the number of bedrooms and occupancy, according to the data included in the declaration responsible for the occupation of buildings or facilities, or where appropriate, the habitability certificate or first occupation license.
13º.- The homes must be entirely assigned to a single user, not allowing the transfer of rooms, or the formalization of several contracts at the same time.
14º.- The homes must display at the entrance and in a visible place a distinctive nameplate established by Annex 1 of Decree 113/2015, of May 22, which approves the Regulations of the Holiday Homes of the Autonomous Community of Canaries that you can consult here, which must include the number of registration in the General Tourist Registry of the Autonomous Community of the Canary Islands assigned (those homes in which there is an express prohibition by the rules of the community of owners to display a nameplate are exempt from this obligation).
15º.- The house must be made available to users in perfect cleaning and hygiene conditions, allowing its immediate use.
16º.- Register in the Economic Activities Tax in the Tax Agency in the corresponding section.
17º.- The information regarding the stay of the people staying in it must be sent to the General Police Directorate, in accordance with the legal regulations for documentary registration and information that you can consult here.
18º.- Complaint sheets adjusted to the official model that can be downloaded here must be made available to users, as well as visibly and unequivocally announcing their existence in Spanish, English, German and another language of their choice.
From Euroteide Insurance (Insurance Brokers and Consultants) we hope that, with this article, you now have more light and knowledge regarding Liability Insurance or Multi-Risk Insurance for this type of holiday housing for tourist use or holiday rental and the legal requirements you need to be able to exercise and have this type of housing in operation, with total security and tranquility. For any type of doubt or question, do not hesitate to contact us.