Lisbon should limit Airbnb and other tourist rental offers



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LISBON – Faced with the general rise in the value of rents and the departure of the inhabitants of the most traditional and most prized neighborhoods, Lisbon will limit the location of apartments and the performance of seasonal rental companies such as Airbnb.

The idea of ​​the City Hall (equivalent of City Hall) is to suspend the authorization of new projects in regions with signs of saturation, such as Alfama , Mouraria and Castelo, some of the favorites of the visitors. It did not define the affected neighborhoods, but the idea was defended more than a year ago by the mayor, Fernando Medina, who raised the possibility of extending the scope of the moratorium in an interview with the Portuguese newspaper "Diário de Notícias"

. Since 2010, the number of seasonal rental apartments has increased by 3,000% in the Portuguese capital, according to a survey conducted by professors from the University of Coimbra and Rutgers University in the United States

. which is called local housing in Portugal, is cited as one of the reasons for the country's high rent.

In the two largest Portuguese cities, Lisbon and Porto, there was a 20% increase in the prices of residential rents in the first quarter of 2018 compared to the same period in 2017.

increase is due to the scarcity of supply. Many owners prefer to rent their properties for short periods to tourists on platforms such as Airbnb and Booking, as these transactions escape the 27% tax levied on long-term contracts.

Changes in Lisbon will be possible thanks to a recent change in Portuguese legislation to give municipalities greater control over the subject, such as the possibility of establishing "containment zones" .

Airbnbs in buildings with resident apartments also have more rigid rules, as in the case of buildings that do not comply with regulations or threaten public health. the insurance obligation for the common parts of the building and, in some cases, co-ownership up to 30% above the others.

The new rules must still be sanctioned by the President and enter into force only 60 days after that date, but already

"As Airbnb contributes to diversify tourism", it is It is important to note that, as a group of tenants and anti-gentrification groups rejoice, the organizations involved in tourism are protesting the decision of the deputies. in Portugal, by democratizing the benefits of the sector beyond hotels, involving families and local communities, "notes the company in

" The proposed new rules are going in the wrong direction and will hurt families and increase costs, Bureaucracy We want to help families respect the rules and share their homes. (19659002) The Association of Hospitality, Restoration and Similar Institutions of Portugal (AHRESP) and the Association of Local Premises of Portugal (Aleppo) affirmed that the change could damage the tourism , important driver of the country's economic recovery [19659002] With the new rules, Portugal is the latest European destination to impose limits on the performance of Airbnb and similar platforms.

Examples

The cities of the old continent have tried different strategies in this direction. In 2016, Berlin has approved one of the most severe regulations: only one room per floor can be rented, under penalty of a fine of 100,000 euros (R $ 430,000).

In the Netherlands, the authorities signed an agreement with Airbnb in December 2016, which establishes an even more restrictive roof for the Amsterdam real estate: 60 days a year.

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