ELLET: Tighter Rules for Airbnb-style Rentals to Protect Housing in Greece

Photo source: Airbnb

Setting limits to land use, number of rental days and guests are among proposals made by the Athens-based Society for the Environment and Cultural Heritage (ELLET) for the regulation of short-term rentals.

In view of a growing long-term rentals problem in Greece and mainly at popular tourist destinations which is now also affecting seasonal employees such as doctors, teachers, and tourism professionals, ELLET released this week a set of proposals aimed at protecting housing and communities.

Among others. ELLET notes that the current legal framework only addresses taxation which has failed to restrict the phenomenon.

ELLET’s recommendations include

– legally recognizing short-term rental activity as special land use activity which would as such be subject to spatial and urban planning laws;
– imposing more restrictions including limiting new short-term rental beds or withdrawing existing beds at tourist destinations already saturated or lacking permanent housing options;
– banning the operation of Airbnb-style rentals in areas where tourist use is prohibited;
– setting up WFS/WMS national spatial data infrastructure to monitor accommodation activity and making data more accessible;
– setting basic specifications and restrictions including the maximum number of bedrooms, maximum number of guests per property, defining a minimum property rental size as well as setting safety standards;
– requiring the consent of flat owners for Airbnb-style rentals in apartment buildings;
– and lastly carrying out inspections of short-term rentals operations to ensure they meet requirements.