Madrid family win case against tourist flats after 'illicit and unsanitary' acts

A judge in Madrid has ordered the closure of 10 tourist flats in a single building in the city centre after ruling "the illicit and unsanitary activities" taking place in them had inflicted psychological damage on a neighbouring family and violated their fundamental right to privacy.

- Sam Jones

The family, who have two children and who have not been named, said they suffered stress, anxiety and sleep deprivation because of the loud, drunken, destructive and lewd behaviour of guests, which included vandalism, vomiting and having sex in the block's communal areas.

The ruling, which has just been made public, took place as protests over the social and economic consequences of overtourism and the lack of affordable housing continued.

The family live in a block of 60 flats near the Spanish capital's Plaza Mayor, in which 75% of the apartments are run as tourist rentals.

Two years ago, they engaged a lawyer to represent them after efforts to address the problem with the council and the owners of the rentals came to nothing.