Short-term rentals through platforms like Airbnb have become a significant part of the tourism industry. According to data from the European Union, these rentals now account for 25% of accommodation options within the bloc. While they have made travel more accessible, they have also led to several issues. Investors buying properties in prime tourist locations to rent out via Airbnb have driven up prices and reduced housing availability for residents.

Tourists can often be a nuisance to residents in apartment blocks or townhouses, where flats are rented out for just a few nights. RMF FM spoke with Sopot residents, as well as the city's mayor, Magdalena Czarzyńska-Jachim, one of the key proponents of upcoming changes to Polish law on short-term rentals. In Sopot alone, more than 1,000 flats and houses are listed on Airbnb, and the average price per square metre in the resort town has reached PLN 21.4 thousand.

Mayor Czarzyńska-Jachim told RMF FM about draft legislation requiring permission from the housing community or cooperative before short-term rentals could be operated. She stated: "I have been in talks with the Ministry of Sport and Tourism for a long time. A legal amendment is being prepared." Czarzyńska-Jachim explained that the ministry aims to classify short-term rentals as a business activity, and a proposal is being considered that would make community or cooperative consent a requirement for operating such rentals.

Czarzyńska-Jachim also emphasised that legislation passed by the European Council in early 2024 requires platforms like Airbnb to only list properties that comply with local legal and regulatory standards. Member states are free to set the specific rules.

In 2023, Florence, Italy, introduced a ban on new Airbnb listings and other short-term rentals in its historic city centre, with the country considering stricter regulations nationwide. As of July 2024, in Vienna, Austria, property owners are limited to renting out their properties on a short-term basis for no more than 90 days per year.

In Paris, residents can rent out their primary residence for up to 120 days per year. Those wishing to rent out second homes or exceed the 120-day limit must officially convert their properties into furnished tourist accommodations. The city has a dedicated unit to track down illegal rentals and penalise offenders.

Berlin banned Airbnb in 2016, though the restriction has since been lifted. However, strict regulations remain, with significant fines imposed for violations. Hosts in Berlin must obtain a licence to rent out entire properties on a short-term basis, while second homes can only be rented for up to 90 days per year. In Munich, short-term rentals of entire houses are limited to eight weeks per year, after which a permit is required.

In Poland, no such regulations are in place as of yet.

Source: rmf24.pl, europarl.europa.eu, euronews.com