Morocco faces growing challenges from short-term rentals

As Morocco’s northern cities and coastline see a summer influx of visitors, tensions are growing between residents and the booming short-term rental market driven by digital platforms like Airbnb.

In cities such as Tangier, the popularity of these platforms during the high season has given rise to a wave of complaints from locals living in apartment buildings where units are frequently rented to tourists.

Residents have voiced concerns about the disturbances caused by sudden arrivals of guests with vastly different lifestyles. One resident living in downtown Tangier warned that these disruptions could escalate into physical or verbal confrontations, particularly with younger renters “who believe anything goes,” he told Hespress AR.

Tourism expert Zoubir Bouhout said that while short-term digital rentals are increasingly common, they remain legally unregulated in Morocco. “This type of alternative lodging provides significant income and attracts millions of dirhams in investment,” he explained. “But these activities continue to operate without a legal framework, which puts both investors and neighbors at risk.”

Bouhout noted that although authorities have so far allowed the activity to continue, disputes often lead to harsh penalties, since the legal standard for property rental in Morocco still assumes traditional lease agreements lasting months or years.

He warned that the lack of oversight places residents in vulnerable situations, particularly when renters with criminal records or unsafe behavior enter shared living spaces. Bouhout also raised concerns about potentially unethical or disruptive behavior in these rental units that could endanger the safety and wellbeing of neighbors.

Legal scholars echo the need for reform. Mohamed Yahya, a law professor at the Faculty of Law in Tangier, emphasized that online rental agreements raise numerous legal questions around contract validity, protection of personal data, and liability for disturbances caused to neighboring tenants.

“These contracts are difficult to enforce, especially when it comes to identifying jurisdiction in the case of disputes,” Yahya told Hespress AR. “The existing legal framework, the Code of Obligations and Contracts, governs traditional leases but does not sufficiently address the complexities of online rentals.”

Yahya said legislative reform is urgently needed. “We must update our legal tools to account for the rise of digital rentals and clearly define the rights and responsibilities of each party involved, including the rights of other residents in the building.”

He also stressed the importance of encouraging electronic signatures and other digital tools to help verify rental agreements and ease dispute resolution processes.

More broadly, Yahya pointed to a lack of legal awareness among both landlords and renters as a major source of ongoing conflict. He called for lawmakers to act quickly to bring the sector out of its legal ambiguity.

“Most short-term rental hosts do not pay taxes on their income,” he added. “If lawmakers intervene, they could protect all parties involved—renters, landlords, and neighbors, while also ensuring the state receives tax revenue from this growing industry.”

Yahya concluded that the government’s broader investment and tourism ambitions hinge on the presence of a clear, enforceable legal framework. “Investor confidence depends on predictable and transparent regulations. It’s time for lawmakers to step in.”