Czech authorities want to make life harder for landlords
Czech authorities want to ensure that property owners can rent out housing for a strictly set number of days per year – from 30 to 120 days (for example, only in the summer months). As Vinegret.cz notes, specific limits and additional rules will be set by municipalities independently.
The cabinet sees this innovation as a compromise – owners can earn extra money, and neighbors will not have to tolerate noisy tourists year-round. The bill also provides for other regulatory norms, but their exact list will appear only after discussion by all interested departments.
Airbnb, through its Czech division's press secretary Eva Hromádková, stated that it welcomes any adequate and transparent regulation and is ready to cooperate with the Czech government.
It is worth noting that a similar law is currently in effect in London (where apartments can be rented out for short-term stays only 90 days a year), Amsterdam (60 days), and Paris (120 days). The strictest regulation of the market was introduced by Berlin – there, an owner can rent out no more than 50% of the property, and they must live in the same apartment.
At the same time, Prague is preparing its own regulation, which will further complicate life for Airbnb landlords. A working group created by the Prague City Hall recommended that city council members introduce strict rules for regulating short-term rental housing offered through online services. According to experts, this sector annually deprives the capital's budget of about 120 million crowns.