Full Breakdown
EU Pushes New Rules to Restrict Short-Term Rentals and Second Homes
9/6/2026, 9:55:32 PM
Core Proposal: Targeted Limits on Holiday Lets in High-Pressure Areas
The European Commission is preparing draft legislation, part of an upcoming Affordable Housing Act, that would allow national and local authorities to restrict short-term tourist rentals and the purchase of properties not used as a primary residence. Owners renting out their main home for occasional stays would be exempt.
Background & Context
Across the 27-member bloc, house prices have surged 64.9 % between 2015 and 2025, while rents have risen 21.8 % in the same period. Short-term rentals account for only 1.2 % of the EU’s total housing stock, but in tourism hotspots they can represent up to 20 % of the local market, prompting complaints from residents in cities such as Lisbon, Barcelona and Prague.
Data & Statistics
| Indicator | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Price increase (2015-2025) | 64.9 % | EU data |
| Rent increase (2015-2025) | 21.8 % | EU data |
| Share of housing stock that is short-term rental (EU average) | 1.2 % | EU data |
| Share in some hotspots | up to 20 % | EU data |
| Residents spending >40 % of income on housing (2024) | ~10 % | EU data |
| Estimated nightly homelessness in EU | 1.2-1.3 million | FEANTSA |
| Annual new-home need (EU) | >2 million | Commission estimate |
| National annual housing needs | France 518,000 (198,000 social); Germany 400,000 (140,000 social); Netherlands ?1 million by 2031; Sweden >500,000 by 2033 | Housing Europe |
Official Statements & Responses
- Housing Commissioner Dan Jørgensen said the Commission will set criteria—property prices at least eight times local incomes, sustained price growth over the past decade, and no expected improvement within three years—to trigger intervention.
- Leïla Chaibi, EU lawmaker (The Left/France), told the Commissioner on 2 September that financialisation of housing is a key driver of the affordability crisis.
- The Commission announced a “Housing Simplification Package” for 2027 to cut administrative barriers that slow construction.
- Croatia’s government approved a Hospitality and Catering Industry Act requiring a mandatory registration number for all short-term accommodations, effective 1 January 2027.
- Budapest’s 13th District mayor József Tóth warned that the city-wide moratorium on new short-term accommodation expires at the end of 2026, prompting local authorities to consider pre-emptive regulations.
Criticism & Opposition
- An Airbnb spokesperson argues that the housing crisis requires “structural solutions” focused on increasing the supply of homes rather than restricting rentals.
Verbatim Quotes
- “It is time for the EU to act, and we know short-term rentals have an impact on the housing crisis, in our city centres, in our neighborhoods, as well as in the countryside everywhere in Europe now,” — Leïla Chaibi
- “Europe's housing crisis needs structural solutions, and the implementation of this Act should focus on increasing the supply of homes,” — an Airbnb spokesperson
