Spain’s rent-controlled cities are seeing some of the country’s sharpest collapses in long-term rental supply, new figures reveal.
A report by idealista found that nearly every major market declared a ‘stressed housing zone’ and subjected to rent controls has continued losing permanent rental properties during the first quarter of 2026.
The steepest decline was recorded in Pamplona, where the supply of long-term rental homes plunged by 39% compared to the same period last year.
Other major falls were seen in A Coruña (-33%), San Sebastian (-28%), Bilbao (-21%), Tarragona (-15%) and Barcelona (-9%).
The only major exception among rent-controlled markets was Girona, where supply increased by 9%.
Outside the controlled markets, the biggest drops were seen in Huelva (-33%), Ceuta (-31%) and Soria (-26%).
Among Spain’s larger non-controlled markets, Alicante saw rental supply fall by 8%, while Sevilla dropped by 6%, Valencia by 4% and Malaga by 2%.
Meanwhile, supply remained stable in Madrid and actually increased by 3% in Palma.
At the same time, seasonal rentals are rapidly expanding across Spain and now account for 27% of the country’s total rental market.
The report found seasonal rental listings increased nationally by 22% year-on-year while permanent rentals fell by 3%.
Some cities recorded explosive growth in temporary rental supply.
A Coruña saw seasonal rentals soar by 188%, while increases were also recorded in Pamplona (78%), San Sebastian (67%) and Bilbao (41%).
Despite recent efforts by Catalan authorities to clamp down on temporary lets, Barcelona still has the highest proportion of seasonal rentals in Spain, representing 55% of all rental listings in the city.
Malaga, Madrid and Sevilla all now have seasonal rentals accounting for around 28% of listings.
Francisco Iñareta, spokesperson for idealista, said the figures demonstrate how ‘market intervention generates scarcity’.
He argued that landlords are increasingly withdrawing properties from the permanent rental market in cities with price caps, while many owners are choosing seasonal rentals instead.
The findings add further fuel to Spain’s increasingly bitter housing debate, as soaring rents, limited supply and mass tourism continue putting pressure on major cities and coastal hotspots across the country.
