Tourists in Seville could find their water supplies cut off in the middle of their holidays under tough new plans to curb the impact of a surge in visitors.

The mayor’s office has announced plans to halt water supplies to any residents of the Andalucian capital who let their homes on Airbnb or other sites without following city code.

The measure comes amid growing protests across Europe about the impact of tourism, which has caused property prices to surge, squeezing locals out of the market.

“We will be applying zero-tolerance against tourism apartments operating without a licence,” said José Luis Sanz, the mayor of Seville.

The council’s review has so far identified 715 apartments that do not comply with regulations passed in 2022 that stipulate that holiday rentals must have an independent entrance if they are above the first or ground floors.

However, it is believed there are probably more than 5,000 apartments operating illegally in Seville.

In June, Barcelona city council announced it will revoke all tourism rental apartment licences by 2028.

And the governments of both the Balearics and Canary Islands have announced tougher action against unlicensed rental apartments.

Ciudadana Sevilla, a platform that campaigns against the impact of tourism rentals in Seville, said the mayor’s plan will do little to move the dial on the property market problems people face.

“The key question is not about legal or illegal apartments but a total moratorium on all new licences,” said David López, a spokesman for the group.