Allocation of 650 Holiday Rental Places in Mallorca at Risk Due to IT Glitches

IT glitch stalls allocation of holiday rental places

Early in the morning, with a coffee from the kiosk on the corner of Carrer de Sant Miquel, I heard the first complaint: a property owner said she had been online all night, yet her application appeared later in the list. Such stories have multiplied since the registration portal went live in early September.

What exactly went wrong

The island council's platform collapsed under the flood of applications, several users say. At peak times more than 300 requests per minute were received — a number the system apparently could not handle. Because allocation was planned strictly by order of receipt, the technical chaos has direct consequences: those who clicked first could end up empty-handed.

Who is affected?

Nearly 650 slots that were to be released for holiday rentals are affected. These include small landlords who were trying to renew their licenses, as well as operators who have been offering rooms on platforms for years. The range stretches from family estates in Artà to apartments in Palma's old town.

By mid-morning several formal complaints had already been filed with the island council, says an employee from the tourism administration. Some callers reported incorrect timestamps, others reported interrupted payment processes. So there is not only anger, but also doubt about the fairness of the process.

How is the administration responding?

The island council is now examining whether the entire procedure must be annulled and restarted. That would be inconvenient — but likely the cleanest solution if it turns out the order is not reliable. At the same time, talks are taking place with industry representatives. Alternative allocation models are being discussed: lotteries, points systems, or a combination of criteria.

What this means for the island

In the short term, the uncertainty means stress for those affected and for authorities. In the medium term it is about trust: if applications are to be submitted online, systems must be stable and transparent. Otherwise skepticism grows among people who depend on this source of income.

A neighbor said today at 9:00 a.m. at the town hall: "If this isn't resolved quickly, it will only cause more trouble." Understandable. Technology is convenient — until it isn't.

What matters now: Those affected should secure proof of their applications, wait for timely updates from the island council, and file a formal complaint in case of irregularities. And hopefully there will soon be a clear, fair solution so that the 650 slots can be allocated without legal disputes.