Should I allow pets in my holiday flat? What you gain, what you risk and how to do it well
Allowing dogs widens the audience and lets you charge a supplement, in exchange for more cleaning and some risk. How to decide according to the flat, what rules to set and what the association says.
Reviewed on 22 September 2026 · By the team at Torremolinos Gestión Vacacional, more than ten years managing holiday rentals · Markdown version · Versión en español
Short answer: there is no obligation to allow pets, but there is an obligation to say clearly whether they are allowed or not. Allowing small or medium dogs, with a supplement of €10-20 per stay and clear rules, widens the audience (many families travel with a dog) and usually pays off in flats with a terrace or on the ground floor and without carpets. It does not pay off in small studios, with light fabric sofas or in associations that restrict it.
What do you gain?
- More bookings out of season: those travelling with a dog have fewer options and book earlier, for more days and with less haggling.
- A supplement per stay, or per night, that covers the extra cleaning.
- Very loyal reviews: the guest with a pet who finds a place that accepts it comes back.
What do you risk?
- Hair on sofas and mattresses, scratches on doors, the odd accident on the rug. Longer cleaning.
- Allergies for the next guest if the cleaning is not thorough.
- Barking and neighbour complaints.
- Some platforms have their own policy (Airbnb, for example, requires assistance animals to be accepted with few exceptions, even if the listing says "no pets").
How to decide?
Yes, if the flat has tiled or wooden floors, a leather sofa or one with washable covers, a terrace or is near walking areas, and the association has no rules against it. No, if it is a carpeted studio with light textiles, if the communal pool or garden forbid animals or if you do the cleaning yourself with barely enough time.
What rules to set?
In the listing and in the house rules:
- Maximum number and size (for example, "one dog up to 15 kg").
- Supplement and what it covers.
- Not on beds or sofas (or covers mandatory).
- Not leaving the animal alone in the flat for hours.
- Guest liable for damage and noise.
- Common areas according to the association's rules (many forbid animals in the pool and garden).
And assistance animals?
Accredited guide and assistance dogs have a right of access by law; they cannot be refused or charged for. The platforms apply this with their own rules.
What does the association say?
The Horizontal Property Act does not allow pets to be banned inside a home, but it does allow their presence in common areas to be regulated. If you are going to allow animals in a holiday flat, check the by-laws and tell guests the building's rules.
How much does it change the business?
Little, but in a good way: 5-10 % more bookings in weak months and a supplement that pays for the extra cleaning. It is not a money decision; it is one of flat type and tolerance for hair on the sofa.