Seven suspected unauthorised holiday lets detected in Benidorm’s Intempo

National Police and Benidorm Local Police have detected at least seven holiday lets suspected of operating without the necessary administrative authorisation in the Intempo building, beside Poniente beach.

The operation took place on Friday 30 October and involved around 40 uniformed officers, who carried out random inspections of apartments in both of the building’s towers, Poniente and Levante.

Inspections and checks around the building

The operation combined checks on the apartments’ business activities with preventive public safety checks in the area surrounding the building.

While the accommodation was being inspected, officers from the National Police’s Prevention and Response Unit carried out checks on people and vehicles.

According to the police account, the operation proceeded normally, with residents and guests cooperating with officers during their enquiries.

The inspections form part of the monitoring of holiday accommodation in Benidorm, where the council has taken on inspection and enforcement powers through the relevant regional agreement.

Guest records could lead to further proceedings

Officers also collected documentation relating to people staying in the accommodation. Its examination could lead to further administrative proceedings over possible failures to comply with guest registration and reporting obligations.

This remains a possibility dependent on checks of the documentation obtained during the inspections, rather than confirmation of further breaches concerning those records.

The council’s Commerce Department is responsible for investigating and processing administrative penalty cases arising from the monitoring of tourist accommodation activities.

Earlier penalties already paid

Since the council assumed these powers, at least four penalties initially set at €50,001 each have already been paid, according to the municipal account released.

Those responsible received a 50% reduction for admitting liability and paying promptly. These figures relate to earlier enforcement activity, not to the seven properties detected during the latest inspection.

Both police forces continue to coordinate their public safety units to exchange information and plan joint operations concerning holiday accommodation in the city.