Dear Editor,
As a regular visitor to the Algarve I am astounded to read of the mass of regulation that the authorities are trying to impose on the holiday letting business.
I read of the lack of tourists visiting the Algarve in 2007/8 and whilst much of this can be blamed on the current world financial situation, additional pointless regulation cannot help in any way.
I believe that apart from sensible safety requirements, such as provision of fire extinguishers and detectors and so on, the regulations require that properties for let must be within a short distance of a fire hydrant!
Additionally, all other dwellings within the same block or complex must a) agree to the arrangement and b) be similarly protected.
In Carvoeiro, where I usually stay, I have in the last 20 years found only one visible hydrant in the town.
And can you imagine the difficulty of getting all local neighbours to agree to such an outrageous proposal?
Coupled with this, all such properties must be licensed. One local paper hopefully states that the time required for approval of licensing is being reduced from 485 to 270 days- what an achievement!
The Algarve was once a very cheap place to spend a holiday but, quite rightly, the costs have risen with the influx of tourists and improved amenities available but we have to recognise that with the expansion or the European Union very cheap holidays are now available in Eastern Europe and Turkey and many of my fellow countrymen are changing to these places. More bureaucracy will just speed up that process.
Len Billinge,
UK
