EU Airbnb plan sets three-year housing proof test
Local authorities hoping to curb Airbnb-style short-term lets would have to prove sustained housing pressure under a European Union plan unveiled in Brussels on Wednesday, 9 September 2026. The European Commission’s proposed Affordable Housing Act would require data showing that short-term rentals are causing significant harm to the local property market. It would not give a blanket green light to broad bans.
Instead, councils would have to show why a particular measure is needed, what it is meant to achieve and what effect it is likely to have. The test would look at the scale, frequency or commercial nature of short-term rental activity.
A three-year housing test
Housing strain, or its impact on the availability and affordability of homes, would have to have lasted for at least three years. Authorities would also need to show that a lighter-touch option would not work just as well.
Any restriction would have to fit the specific case, respect legal certainty and fundamental rights, and follow an assessment showing that the area is under housing pressure. One indicator cited by Brussels is where the cost of a home exceeds eight years of net annual income.
Five years at most
Measures could run for no longer than five years, with fresh assessments needed for any review. Brussels also says rental restrictions cannot replace action on the underlying shortage, such as building or renovating homes.
The proposal also seeks to clarify what local authorities may do over second homes and homes left empty for long periods. Conditions linked to a purchase could not be imposed retrospectively, would need transition arrangements and must account for cases such as a temporary work move or a long hospital stay.
European Union governments in the Council and the European Parliament must still negotiate the final law. Once it takes effect, its method would also apply to rules already passed.
Topics: Housing · Health · Politics · Economy
Source: Europa Press / Mallorca.com