The Czech government has approved a draft Bill that will allow municipalities and cities to limit short-term rental accommodation.
The Bill allows authorities to cap the number of days a property can be rented out in a year and defines a minimum amount of space required per guest. It will also impose stricter regulations and taxes on guesthouses, Airbnbs and other holiday rentals, similar to those imposed on traditional hotels.
Among other measures, the Bill is being used to reduce the impact of overtourism, including noise pollution, high property rentals for locals and public disturbances.
According to EuroNews, the new regulation follows complaints by locals, particularly in Prague, where residents are experiencing spiking real estate prices and sky-high rentals and are being forced out by short-term rentals for tourists.
Local residents are choosing to leave Prague due to increased noise and disturbances from rowdy tourists. City council members lobbied to reduce unacceptable behaviour by inebriated tourists attending stag and hen parties by limiting business opening hours in the city centre, to reduce drunk and disorderly behaviour among the tourists. These measures were rejected by the city council, however it approved a ban on cars entering the city centre between 22h00 and 06h00 in July to reduce noise in the area.
Property owners will be required to register accommodation and guest details via a new platform called eTurista, reports Euronews. A registration number will be provided for each property, which must be displayed on accommodation listings.
If the Bill is approved, the new system will help to increase oversight of short-term rentals, many of which currently operate in a grey area. Currently, officials estimate that between 40% and 70% of stays via online platforms are not reported, leading to almost €32 million (R630 million) in lost taxes annually.
The new rules are expected to come into force in July 2025.
