Short-term rental

Short-term rentals (STR) are furnished lodging rented for short periods of time.[1] They can be used as alternatives to hotels for vacation rentals and housing during relocation.[2] They are usually reserved via online marketplaces such as Airbnb and Booking.com.

Regulations

Regulations have been imposed on short-term rental platforms after proponents argued that short-term rental has reduced affordable housing and contributed to the increase of long-term rental prices due to changes in housing supply and demand; short-term rentals can be more lucrative than long-term rentals for landlords and also attract investors who bid up housing prices.[3] Supporters of short-term rentals argue that the impact on housing prices has been minimal and that the way to increase affordable housing is to increase the housing supply.[4][5] Examples include Lisbon, where a moratorium on short-term rentals did not reduce housing costs; it only increased hotel prices.[6]

In rare cases, landlords have been accused of illegally evicting tenants to convert properties into short-term rentals to obtain higher rents.[7]

The hotel industry has lobbied for additional regulations on short-term rentals, which compete with hotels.[8] Short-term rental platforms also use lobbying to promote their interests.[9]

In addition to government-imposed restrictions, many homeowner associations also limit short-term rentals.[10] Neighborhood community groups have voiced concern that short-term residents can cause issues with congestion, noise, and safety.[4]

Regulation of short-term rentals can include requirements for hosts to have business licenses, payment of hotel taxes, limitations on the number of days that a space is rented, requirements for hosts to occupy the space, and compliance with building, city and zoning standards.

Regulations by jurisdiction

Europe

  • Amsterdam: Hosts can rent their properties for up to 30 nights per year to a group of no more than four at a time.[11] Short-term rentals are banned in certain areas.[12]
  • Barcelona: Licenses and higher property taxes are required.[13][14][15] All short-term rentals will be banned in November 2028.[16]
  • Berlin: Licenses are required. Hosts must live in most of the property.[17]
  • Budapest: Licenses and taxation are required; short-term rentals are banned in certain areas.[18]
  • Ireland: Licenses are required. Short-term rentals are restricted to a maximum of 90 days per year for primary residences.[19][20][21]
  • Lisbon: Licenses are required. Short-term rentals are limited to 10% of the housing stock.[6]
  • London: Short-term rentals are limited to 90 days per year.[22][23]
  • Lucerne: Short-term rentals are limited to 90 days per year.[24][25]
  • Madrid: Listings without private entrances are banned.[26]
  • Palma de Mallorca: Short-term rentals are banned.[27]
  • Paris: Hosts can rent their homes for no more than 120 days per year.[28] Licenses are required.[29]
  • Rome: Short-term rental sites are required to withhold a 21% rental income tax.[30]
  • Venice: Hosts must collect and remit tourist taxes.[31][32]
  • Vienna: Short-term rentals are banned in specific "residential zones" within the city, with the exemption of apartments occupied by the host.[33]

United States

Canada

  • Montreal: Short-term rentals must be in a host's primary residence. Only allowed between June 10 and September 10. Prohibited in certain districts.[54]
  • Toronto: Licenses are required. Short-term rentals must be in a host's primary residence. Taxes are required.[55]
  • Vancouver: Licenses are required; cost C$1,108/year. Short-term rentals must be in a host's primary residence.[56]

Asia

  • Japan: Licenses are required; a home can be rented for a maximum of 180 days per year.[57]
  • Singapore: Short-term home rentals of less than three months for private properties or less than six months for Housing and Development Board flats are illegal.[58]

See also

References

  1. ^ Sas, Nick (28 December 2022). "The influence of Airbnb on Australia's rental crisis, as experts call for focus on 'real issues' at play". Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
  2. ^ Bramley, Pat (30 October 2003). "Short-stay renting". Hillingdon Times.
  3. ^ Lawson, Richard (14 March 2023). "Apartment Rents Surge As Vacation Rentals Reduce Supply for Tenants". CoStar Group.
  4. ^ a b Van Doren, Peter (16 October 2018). "Airbnb and Neighborhood Conflict". Cato Institute.
  5. ^ Terziev, Eliza (12 January 2026). "Blaming short-term rentals won't solve the housing crisis". Reason Foundation.
  6. ^ a b "Lisbon overturns short-term rental rules that failed to cut housing costs". Airbnb. 17 December 2025.
  7. ^ Hill, Steven (19 October 2015). "The Unsavory Side of Airbnb". The American Prospect. Archived from the original on 10 April 2019.
  8. ^ Carney, Timothy P. (4 August 2025). "How NYC Hotels Use Regulations to Block Airbnb Competition". American Enterprise Institute.
  9. ^ Yeomans, Emma (7 August 2019). "Airbnb lobby MSPs every month". The Times. Archived from the original on 14 October 2019.
  10. ^ Glick, Ilyse; Talkin, Samuel J. (7 September 2016). "How your neighbor's Airbnb rental can affect your property values". The Washington Post.
  11. ^ Meijer, Bart (16 March 2021). "Amsterdam to allow Airbnb rentals in city centre after court order". Reuters.
  12. ^ KAYALI, LAURA; HEIKKILÄ, MELISSA (9 November 2020). "The Netherlands goes after Airbnb". Politico.
  13. ^ O'Sullivan, Feargus (6 June 2018). "Barcelona Finds a Way to Control Airbnb Rentals". CityLab.
  14. ^ Mead, Rebecca (22 April 2019). "The Airbnb Invasion of Barcelona". The New Yorker.
  15. ^ McClanahan, Paige (26 September 2021). "Barcelona Takes on Airbnb". The New York Times.
  16. ^ Wahi, Uvika (10 October 2025). "Spain's Top Court Upholds Barcelona's Short-Term Rental Ban, Airbnb Pushes Back". Rental Scale-Up.
  17. ^ Oltermann, Philip (8 June 2016). "Berlin ban on Airbnb short-term rentals upheld by city court". The Guardian.
  18. ^ Inotai, Edit (24 November 2025). "Tourists Out, Locals In: Budapest District to be First in Hungary with Airbnb Ban". Balkan Insight.
  19. ^ "The vast majority of Irish Airbnbs are illegal. Two law students are going after them". On The Ditch. 6 April 2023.
  20. ^ Byrne, Louise (28 June 2019). "No extra Dublin City Council staff hired so far to enforce new letting laws". RTÉ.
  21. ^ Thomas, Cónal (1 July 2019). "Explainer: The new rules on Airbnb hosting come into effect today - here's what you need to know". TheJournal.ie.
  22. ^ "The 90-Day Airbnb Rule and what it means to you". Smarthost. 4 November 2022.
  23. ^ "What's the 90-day rule and how does it impact my Airbnb in London?". GuestReady. 11 July 2022.
  24. ^ Zürcher, Christian; Schlapbach, Quentin (8 October 2024). "Luzerner Airbnb-Gegner: «Menschen haben Angst, dass sich Luzern noch mehr zum Schlechten verändert.»" ["People have had enough" – He wants to cap Airbnb's supply]. Tages-Anzeiger (in German).
  25. ^ Kalyanaraman, Srividya (14 March 2023). "Lucerne Caps Short-Term Rentals to 90 Days". Skift.
  26. ^ O'Sullivan, Feargus (3 April 2019). "Madrid Bans Airbnb Apartments That Don't Have Private Entrances". Bloomberg News.
  27. ^ Minder, Raphael (23 June 2018). "To Contain Tourism, One Spanish City Strikes a Ban, on Airbnb". The New York Times.
  28. ^ Carey, Meredith (12 April 2018). "Paris Could Pull 43,000 Airbnb Listings by This June". Condé Nast Traveller.
  29. ^ Vidalon, Dominique (5 July 2017). "Hoteliers welcome Paris decision forcing Airbnb hosts to register rentals". Reuters.
  30. ^ QUELL, MOLLY (7 July 2022). "EU court adviser rejects Airbnb challenge to Italy short-term rental tax". Courthouse News Service.
  31. ^ Fox, Kara (15 June 2019). "The race to stop the death of Venice". CNN.
  32. ^ Last, John (14 March 2022). "EXPLAINED: What are Italy's rules and taxes for Airbnb rentals?". The Local.
  33. ^ "Vermieten von Wohnungen für touristische Zwecke" [Renting apartments for tourist purposes]. Vienna (in German).
  34. ^ Kerr, Dara (4 January 2017). "Airbnb gets free rein in Arizona thanks to new law". CNET.
  35. ^ "Short-Term Rentals". Boston.
  36. ^ Cherone, Heather (1 June 2021). "New Rules for Chicago's Home-Sharing Industry Set to Kick In". WTTW.
  37. ^ Ferré-Sadurní, Luis (5 November 2019). "Airbnb Suffers Big Defeat in Jersey City. Here's What That Means". The New York Times.
  38. ^ Rosario, Joshua (6 November 2019). "Jersey City voters say 'Yes' to Airbnb regulations in N.J.'s most expensive local referendum". NJ.com.
  39. ^ "Short-Term Rentals". Las Vegas.
  40. ^ Reyes, Emily Alpert (1 October 2019). "Airbnb wants L.A. to delay enforcing new restrictions on short-term rentals". Los Angeles Times.
  41. ^ Chandler, Jenna; Walker, Alissa (10 December 2019). "Renting an Airbnb in Los Angeles? Here's what to know before booking". Curbed. Archived from the original on 1 July 2019.
  42. ^ IANNELLI, JERRY (13 July 2017). "Emails Suggest Miami Mayor Coordinated With Hotel Lobby Against Airbnb". Miami New Times.
  43. ^ Mzezewa, Tariro (9 March 2019). "Airbnb and Miami Beach Are at War. Travelers Are Caught in the Crossfire". The New York Times.
  44. ^ Lung, Natalie (20 October 2023). "Most New York Airbnb Applications Don't Meet City Requirements". Bloomberg News.
  45. ^ "Accessory Short-Term Rental Permits". Portland, Oregon.
  46. ^ Bravo, Christina; Sridhar, Priya (14 April 2021). "San Diego Mayor Signs Short-Term Rental Regulations Into Law". KNSD.
  47. ^ Benner, Katie (2 May 2017). "Airbnb Settles Lawsuit With Its Hometown, San Francisco". The New York Times.
  48. ^ Greenspan, Jesse (6 August 2025). "Santa Cruz County supervisors advance new limits on vacation rentals". Santa Cruz Local.
  49. ^ "Santa Monica Reaches Deal With Airbnb Over Illegal Listings". CBS News. 10 December 2019.
  50. ^ Nickelsburg, Monica (11 December 2017). "Seattle approves new Airbnb regulations to limit short-term rentals to 2 units per host". GeekWire.
  51. ^ Austermuhle, Martin (5 January 2022). "D.C. To Start Restricting And Regulating Airbnb And Other Short-Term Rentals". WAMU. Archived from the original on 5 January 2022.
  52. ^ "Weehawken town council votes to ban short-term rentals". News 12 Networks. 21 December 2022.
  53. ^ Hannington, Dia (4 February 2018). "Banning Airbnb in West New York: After complaints, town adopts ordinance banning short-term rentals". The Hudson Reporter.
  54. ^ "Short-term tourist accommodation". Montreal.
  55. ^ "Short-Term Rentals". Toronto.
  56. ^ "Short-term rental business licence". Vancouver.
  57. ^ Carey, Meredith (4 June 2018). "Nearly 80 Percent of Japan's Airbnbs Were Just Removed". Condé Nast Traveler.
  58. ^ Ming, Lee Chong (2 June 2024). "Airbnb hosts in Singapore still offering illegal short-term stays". CNA.