EU warns whole buildings are becoming holiday lets
Whole buildings are being bought for holiday lets while people struggle to find homes. European Commissioner for Energy and Housing Dan Jorgensen raised the alarm at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, on Wednesday, 7 October. He said some people are being forced from their homes because short-term letting is more profitable.
Jorgensen drew a line between an owner letting a room or a home for a few weeks to earn extra money and a building used entirely for short stays. He called the latter “shadow hotels” in places where people could live.
The European Commission wants to give member states, cities and regions more scope to regulate such lets. But its proposal, put forward in September, has yet to be agreed by EU governments and the European Parliament. It would not require any member state to introduce restrictions.
Under the proposal, authorities would first have to show, with data, that housing had been under significant pressure for at least three years. Any restriction would have to be proportionate, limited to a designated area and used only where a less restrictive measure would not work. It could last no more than five years, though it could be reviewed.
Jorgensen said curbs alone would not solve the housing shortage. He called for more building and renovation, and said European house prices had risen by about 60% on average over the past decade.
Source: Europa Press / Mallorca.com