Van Sparrentak (GroenLinks) pleased with EU approach to B&B bookings

The European Commission is introducing new rules for vacation rental websites, such as Airbnb and Booking.com. Rental sites will be required to share information about bookings with municipal governments. This will prevent guests and landlords from evading local tourist taxes.

Booking sites must now, if there is a municipal ordinance, share monthly information about how many nights a house or apartment has been rented out and to how many people. For B&B landlords, this also means the Tax Authorities will be monitoring.

The European Commission also makes clear that it is up to city councils and other authorities themselves to determine the rules for vacation rentals. Dutch MEP Kim Van Sparrentak (GroenLinks): “Occasionally renting out an empty room is of course fine. However, it is mainly investors who have dominated the market until now.”

“The rapid growth of vacation rentals reduces the housing supply, drives up housing prices, and puts pressure on livability in cities. In Amsterdam, 72% of Airbnb listings are entire homes, rented on average for 171 nights and generating 32,000 euros. This rental is no longer just a side income but a business model.”

With the plans now presented, it is up to EU countries and the European Parliament to further develop these rules and negotiate an agreement. Van Sparrentak will negotiate the rules on behalf of the European Greens.

When the rules come into effect, Dutch (local) legislation on tourist rentals can also be better enforced.