Airbnb faces legal battle over unlicensed listings in Spain

A key lock box at the entrance of a short-term rental building in Malaga, Spain. The Spanish government recently fined a home-sharing platform for advertising banned rental properties. — AFP

Spain's government has fined Airbnb €64mil (RM306.43mil) for advertising unlicensed tourist rentals, officials said recently.

The move is the latest government action in Spain against short-term rental companies such as Airbnb and Booking.com as the country grapples with a housing affordability problem, particularly in city centres.