Brits 'abandon' Tenerife holiday homes and sell up after EU rule change

22 April 2024 , 09:12

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British tourists have been capped on how long they can spend in Spain at one time (Image: Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

Brits who own properties in Tenerife are abandoning the island and selling up due to furious locals and a new change to EU rules.

Dozens of UK tourists have enjoyed spending months residing in the Canary Islands after they purchased holiday homes overseas. However, UK citizens have now been informed that they can only spend 90 days in Spain at a time. The strict regulations have caused fed-up travellers to want to leave altogether.

It comes after thousands of locals took to the streets in protest over their beloved island on the weekend, as they called for a cap on tourist levels. They stressed that Tenerife is "not for sale" following recent tension between them and foreign tourists. But it seems that the post-Brexit rule change has already made an impact as Brits have already started to pack up their bags.

Locals have protested against extreme levels of tourism in Tenerife (Anadolu via Getty Images)

Locals complained that "every nook and cranny" on the island had been taken up by hotels or holiday homes by travellers. Jamie Quintero, 21, who took part in the demonstration, previously said: "We are not against tourism, but every nook and cranny is being taken over. We want to change it to make it more sustainable. When I visit beaches they are filled with rubbish it makes me sad."

Lisa Robertson, who runs Jags Bar, a Scottish pub in Playa de las Americas, shared that the island’s increase in rent prices, which are one of the major complaints from protesters, had hit Brits living in Tenerife severely too. She told The Express: “I know at least four people who have sold their houses over here because they can't come out as much as they used to be able to."

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Thousands demonstrated on the weekend (Anadolu via Getty Images)

She continued: “There’s one couple in particular who used to do eight months [in the Canaries] and then six months in Scotland. But because they can only stay for 90 days they just sold their holiday home. I know families of four who’ve moved to one-bedroom flats because it’s cheaper. They’ve been in places for years, but the landlords have put the rent up so much they can’t afford it." She said the rule change has created a dull atmosphere compared to what it once was.

“I knew a lot of people who would come [to Tenerife] for months at a time and be here every night. I haven't seen them [since the rules changed]. There are lots of people like that. It’s quite hard," she said. "It’s also affected staffing as well. If you speak to any British bar on the island they are screaming for staff.

Monica Charsley