Airbnb has banned parties from its rentals. It is an insufficient measure, says the deputy mayor of Prague 3 | Company | News
The Airbnb platform, through which people can rent out their rooms, apartments or houses, has definitively banned the organization of parties. Representatives of some city districts in Prague would like much more fundamental restrictions, better communication and transparent operation from the company.
“Unfortunately, this platform does not communicate with the city district at all”
Airbnb came up with the temporary ban on parties two years ago, when people used rentals for private parties at a time when commercial businesses were closed due to covid. Loud events were then complained about by 44 percent, the company said in a press release.
The ban has now entered into force permanently, noisy parties or mass events organized via social networks may not be held in the buildings. Neighbors can report disturbances directly to Airbnb by phone or email. But for representatives of some city districts, this is an insufficient step.
“This is the first time I’m hearing about this move by Airbnb, unfortunately this platform does not communicate with the city district at all. As a measure it seems to me to be totally inadequate. I would be the first to appreciate it if Airbnb would directly provide us with a list of apartments in which this business is operated, so that we can effectively check whether these entrepreneurs pay business permits, fees and have the property approved as an accommodation facility, not as an apartment.” the deputy mayor of Prague 3 stated for the editors of Pražská Drbna Ondrej Rut.
Čižinsky wants to limit rentals to thirty days a year
Even Prague 7 would welcome other, much more fundamental measures. He wants a limit on the length of the lease. “Of course, I welcome the ban on evening meals. However, the real benefit would be to go back to the original idea and limit rentals to 30 days a year in one apartment. I would applaud Airbnb for that, because that ended its devastating effect on rental prices in Prague.” the mayor of Sedmičky told the editors Jan Čižinský.
Although Prague 5 welcomes the ban, it does not see noise complaints in its area as a big problem. “Our department does not register too many complaints about people staying on Airbnb. There are certainly good measures to ensure that the accommodation is not disturbed by noise, disorder, etc., by other residents of the building,” she described the situation to the editors Marcela Justováhead of the Department of Apartments and Real Estate Transfers of the city district.
Prague is in the same situation as Vienna
According to an analysis by the Institute of Planning and Development of the Capital City of Prague, as of last July, 6,972 units with over 18,500 beds were offered via Airbnb in Prague. The number of hosts is around 3.5 thousand. These are numbers comparable to, for example, Copenhagen, Vienna or Lisbon.
“The most units are located in Nové Město (1,696), Staré Město (957), Vinohrady (726), Žižkov (616) and Smíchov (459). More than 200 units are also located in Holešovice and Karlín. More than 100 units are located in Nuslí, Dejvice, Vršovice and Libni. it says in the document.
Entire apartments and houses represent 75 percent of the entire offer. “However, the absolute most entire apartments or houses are concentrated in Nové Město (1,315), Staré Město (797), Vinohrady (565), Žižkov (483) and Smíchov (361). Around 200 apartments are also offered in Malá Strana, in Holešovice and
in Karlín,” informs the analysis.