Pursuant to Parliament’s decision, local governments will have the authority to decide regarding short-term home rental, meaning that if they wish to tighten the rules relating to Airbnb, they are free to do so, the Parliamentary State Secretary of the Cabinet Office of the Prime Minister said.

Csaba Dömötör pointed out that there were a number of valid reasons for taking action in this matter; above all, the fact that short-term housing rental has significantly contributed to a rise in home rentals and property prices. This has caused problems for many, including young people, he underlined.

The State Secretary also said short-term home rental often causes problems in multi-generational residential buildings, the reason being that the lives of tourists coming to Hungary for just a day or two and locals having lived in their homes for decades should be harmonised in such a way that frequently the fundamental conditions for establishing a dialogue are absent.

Before the decision, the government reviewed tested international practices, and saw that there are local regulations in a number of European cities, Mr Dömötör said, adding that this is hardly a surprise as local governments have the most information and experience about the possible consequences and about the best practical solutions.

The goal is to enforce the criteria of all social groups and generations, and the decision adopted on Tuesday serves this well, the State Secretary pointed out.

(Cabinet Office of the Prime Minister / MTI)