Accommodation
Has Berlin banned Airbnb?
Zweckenfremdungsverbot. This is one tongue-twister we’re not happy about – it’s the name of the new law banning the short-term rental of entire apartments in Berlin. Unfortunately for us Airbnb enthusiasts, this means we’ll be heading to hotels and traditional B&Bs, since an estimated 18,000 unofficial short-term holiday rentals are set to be axed.
Hosts can still rent out parts of their properties, but no more than 50 per cent of the total area of the space (i.e. a bedroom in a two-bed apartment would be acceptable). Those that flout the law will face up to a €100,000 fine. The new scheme has been developed in response to the housing shortage in the German capital, where property prices shot up 56 per cent between 2009 and 2014.
You may be surprised to learn they’re not the first to put these measures in place. New York and Barcelona have similar strategies to combat housing affordability, and Airbnb have set up deals with Paris and Amsterdam to collect taxes from the property owners and the website itself.
Related links:
Why Airbnb was the best thing to happen to my health
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