Information from the National Statistics Institute and the Balearic Government point to there being over 2,800 homes in Soller that are either not used as primary residences or are empty.
There are concerns in Soller about the lack of affordable housing, just as there are elsewhere in Mallorca. The figures show that although 824 new homes were built in Soller between 2011 and 2021, the number of primary residences has remained practically the same - around 5,260.
However, second homes or those used for holiday rental have increased by nine per cent and account for 17.6% of the total - 1,740 homes in all.
This number of empty homes, identified by zero or minimal electricity and water consumption, doubled over the ten-year period. It represented 14% of Soller's total housing stock. There were 1,119 empty homes in 2021 compared with 570 in 2011. These figures may well have changed, as the data are from four years ago.
The Soller Hoteliers Association has meanwhile analysed figures from sources such as the tourism ministry in discovering that the number of registered holiday rental accommodation beds is now not far below the number of hotel beds - 3,313 versus 3,501. The hotel sector believes the number of illegal holiday let beds is similar to the legal number.