Have you tried the holidaylettings.co.uk website? Or ownersdirect.co.uk? I normally find something on there.

Privately owned accommodation for rent in the Canaries is going to be difficult to find as the Canarian government is clamping down on what it sees as 'illegal' lets with thousands of Euros worth of fines being handed out. There's plenty of information about it on the web. Some 7000 owners have been fined or are in the process of being fined.

http://issuu.com/canarianweekly/docs/cw_web_issue_728

http://www.janetanscombe.com/illegal-letting-discussion-page

An example of an owner being fined 18000 Euros:

http://www.gobcan.es/boc/2011/222/009.html

We have booked a couple of times via owners direct, quite a lot of choice on there

Thanks for those links AHV - made very interesting reading. I have a friend who regularly goes out to Tenerife in February, next year they were planning on going for 3/4 weeks, I'd better let her know.

Also try... http://www.holiday-rentals.co.uk/
...and Google... "apartments in Los Cristianos"

Thanks for the replies. I've tried all the usual websites, some show availability but then the owner e mails back to say that is not the case! If I do find an apartment, how do I know that it is a 'legal' let?

As far as the Canarian government is concerned, all private lettings are illegal. It doesn't surprise me that you are getting responses saying no availability as fines are well into 5 figures and those owners who are aware of the situation are keeping their heads low.

Been offered a couple of apartments but I'm really worried about booking them incase they are not legal lets. really regretting booking my flights now!

All private lettings are not illegal. I have an apartment in Tenerife in a legally registered Tourist Licensed location and are completely legal.

Problems ie fines etc with lettings made on residential locations are the ultimate problem of the owner who is breaking the law and not the person who has made the booking.

There are many many complexes which are completely legal taking thousands of bookings a year. I know someone who has an apartment on a residential complex, has a fine against him (still not collected yet) and is still letting albeit through word of mouth.

Generally those that were 'illegal' have been taken off the interent by the owners as the local inspectors searched the interent to identify 'illegal' lets.

Chris

ps lack of availability is because the winter months are popular and we have booking for winter 2014 !

The apartments I found were on Dinastia, I think the complex is part residential, should this be okay?

My understanding of the law is that individual owners cannot let their properties to holidaymakers unless they are on a complex with a touristic licence and operated by a registered tourism company that must operate at least 50% of the properties on that complex (100% for new complexes).

Castle Harbour apparantly has a touristic licence, info regarding licence here:- HERE

The letting office contact is here HERE

Also Pueblo Torviscas HERE

Another company HERE

I'd still double check on enquiry

Royal Palm, Victoria Court 1 and Victoria Court 2 are also are touristic registered complexes.

We have booked flights for 16th to 23rd February 2013, but are really struggling to find a 2 bed apartment

We've been visiting the Canaries in the winter for more than 12 years and the rule is never book a flight without an apt, and vice-versa. I always identify a possible flight, ask the apt owner if they can fit with that, if so ask them to hold booking for 48 hours while I book flight. If not then go around again. Lanzarote/Tenerife are very popular during the winter months and good apts hard to find.