BRITISH second-home owners could soon find the door slammed shut on their Mediterranean dream.
Lawmakers in the Balearic Islands are gearing up to debate a bombshell proposal that would block non-residents from buying property unless they have lived on the island for at least five years.
If passed, it could freeze thousands of Brits out of hotspots like Majorca, Menorca and Ibiza – the jewel-in-the-crown escapes for sun-seeking UK buyers.
The radical bill, tabled by left-wing party Més per Mallorca, comes amid mounting fury over soaring house prices and the relentless march of tourism.
Around 90,000 homes across the Balearics, which make up some 16 per cent of all properties, are already owned by foreign nationals.
British buyers remain a powerhouse, with nearly 12,000 homes snapped up by UK purchasers in 2024 alone, according to Idealista.
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Foreign buyers accounted for 13.8 per cent of all sales last year, almost 97,300 transactions, a record high for non-Spaniards.
But locals say enough is enough.
Lluis Apesteguia, an MP for Més per Mallorca, insisted that “extraordinary measures were necessary” after the islands welcomed 19 million visitors last year.
He said: “We have to prioritise the houses that are for living in – not for those who want to speculate and continue with this game of Monopoly.”
Under the plan, second homes owned by non-residents would effectively be classed as a “tourist use” – putting them in the firing line.
Ferran Rosa, an MP in the Balearic parliament, said: “Housing is certainly the largest problem for Mallorcans, as prices have been rising for years and more and more houses are devoted to non-residential uses.
“Our plan is to ensure that houses are used for living, rather than ‘tourist’ uses, considering second homes for non-residents a tourist use.
“In this respect, we base our bill in similar regulations existing across the EU that intend to guarantee the right to housing.”
The average price of a 90-square-metre home has rocketed to £403,000 – up from £248,000 in 2020 – making the Balearics one of Spain’s most expensive regions.
Supporters say the move could mirror rules in Denmark, where UK-born buyers must have lived there for five consecutive years before purchasing property.
But critics say the plan is dead on arrival.
Sebastià Sagreras, of the centre-Right People’s Party (PP), warned EU regulations meant the proposals “cannot be fulfilled” and confirmed his party would vote against them.
Marc Pons, of the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE), which backs caps on visitor numbers, said the government could “not rely solely on this solution to the problems”, even if it helped slow price rises.
It is the latest attempt by Spain to rein in foreign buyers.
Last year Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez pledged a tax of up to 100 per cent on properties bought by non-residents from outside the EU, promising it would tackle the country’s deepening housing crisis.
The measure has yet to pass parliament – and critics warn it could spark a buying frenzy as overseas purchasers rush to beat any new rules.
The row comes against a backdrop of spiralling anti-tourist fury across Spain.
In October, locals screamed “go home” at Dutch cycling holidaymakers in Valencia, with shoving matches breaking out in the Old Town before the tourists fled chanting “f*** you”.
In April, thousands of protesters flooded 40 cities, with radicals urging activists to superglue the locks of holiday rentals in a bid to sabotage the booming lettings market.
An open letter to tourists read: “ENOUGH! STAY HOME! We do not need more tourists; in fact, you are the source of our problem. DO NOT COME.”
Meanwhile, a September survey found 56 per cent of Brits who normally holiday in Spain went elsewhere in 2025, with nearly 80 per cent saying the protests had made the UK’s favourite destination less appealing.