European cities limit Airbnb rentals due to housing crises, while Romania focuses on tax monitoring.
π Read the article on hotnews.ro
[This is an automatically generated summary, for reference only]
Many European cities are attempting to limit listings on platforms like Airbnb and Booking because residents complain they can no longer afford to live in neighborhoods that have become exclusively tourist destinations, though Romania is not implementing such restrictions, currently focusing only on monitoring income for tax purposes. Between 2023 and 2024, the number of homes converted to Airbnb increased by 60%, with notable increases in Bucharest and BraΘov. While potential earnings from Airbnb can be calculated, owners report that after deducting costs like cleaning, platform commissions, maintenance, and taxes, the net profit is often insufficient to replace a salary. In contrast to some European cities, Romania’s authorities plan only to ensure property owners declare their income rather than imposing outright limits. ANAF reports that about half of those who claim Airbnb rental income do not fully declare it, with penalties for non-compliance ranging from 50 to 500 lei. Other countries have stricter measures: Salzburg actively removes illegal listings and imposes high fines; Vienna restricts tourist rentals to 90 days annually and uses specialized police units for inspections; Greece restricted new licenses in central areas after an initial surge in short-term rentals; Czechia requires properties to be registered as hotels or pensions with various commercial obligations; and Denmark has a limit of 70 rental days per year, though enforcement is difficult. Spain has the strictest measures, with Barcelona not renewing tourist licenses past 2028, Madrid restricting residential units, and other cities imposing annual limits on tourist rentals.
