The Spanish city of Lorca in Murcia has launched a campaign against unsightly objects on buildings, which includes washing being dried on balconies.
The small southeastern city of Lorca is waging war on neighbours’ airing their dirty laundry, in the most literal sense.
A recent vote by the centre-right PP and far-right party Vox in the Murcian city of 99,000 inhabitants will lead to changes to their Municipal Ordinance on the Protection of Civic Coexistence and Prevention of Antisocial Behaviour.
According to new statement published on Lorca council’s website “all kinds of acts or behaviours that negatively affect the aesthetic characteristics of buildings and the urban environment, causing their degradation” are now prohibited.
This also means no storing of unused furniture on balconies such as mattresses or bed frames, and no butane gas cylinders stored on them either. The new legislation also includes “any other item unrelated to the proper use of this space”.
READ ALSO – BBQs, nudity and plants: What are the balcony rules in Spain?
It’s not just people’s homes which will be affected, even failing to remove signs, awnings, plaques, and banners from businesses once they have permanently closed could be seen as an infringement.
The new regulations state that anyone not adhering to the rules could face penalties of between €151 and €750 for minor infractions and between €751 and €1,500 for more serious ones.
Hanging laundry out to dry would be considered a minor violation for example, while serious infractions would include the installation of clotheslines on the main façade of buildings, “unless they are located in spaces provided for this purpose or protected by screens or lattices that aesthetically blend into the environment”, and having air conditioning units or smoke outlets that are in visibly poor condition.
READ ALSO – Rug shaking to rice throwing: Spain’s weirdest prohibitions
The residents of Lorca will now have around one month to clean and tidy up their balconies and façades and remove anything that might be deemed unsightly or may be visible from the street, before the first fines will be issued.
According to the mayor of Lorca, Fulgencio Gil, the revision of the ordinance responds to residents’ demands regarding the deterioration of certain neighbourhoods and areas within the city centre.
“Lorca is immersed in a process of constant urban improvement, and our streets, squares, and buildings must present the best possible image for those who live here and for those who visit us,” he stated.
Although it may be a common sight to see laundry hanging from balconies, other places in Spain also have rules on it.
Municipal regulations in Barcelona, Madrid and Valencia for example all dictate whether this is allowed, outlined in the Horizontal Property Law.
Like in Lorca, this is because it affects the façade of the building. In places with rules about hanging laundry from balconies, you could be fined up to €750 if you don’t comply with the rules.
According to real estate agency Fotocasa, even if you live in an area where there are no bans or penalties against hanging laundry on the balcony, you’ll still likely need the permission of la comunidad or the association of homeowners in your building.
