Short-term letting platforms like Airbnb and Booking.com may face substantial fines under new regulations in Ireland aimed at freeing up properties for long-term housing. The General Scheme of the Short Term Letting and Tourism Bill, published recently, introduces a register for all short-term lets (SLTs) expected to be enforced by May 2026. With hopes of reintroducing 10,000 homes to the long-term market amidst a housing crisis, the legislation targets the 32,000 short-term lets advertised online in Ireland.

Managed by Fáilte Ireland, the register mandates property owners offering stays up to 21 nights to be registered, with enforcement through online platform monitoring. This move also empowers councils to verify planning permissions, effectively restricting short-term lets in urban areas with over 10,000 residents. The legislation replaces earlier fines with penalties of up to 2% of turnover for non-compliant platforms, potentially significant for major players like Airbnb.

Furthermore, a new adjudication panel will assess violations, considering factors like public harm, internal compliance measures, and gains from infractions. The decision on fines can be challenged in court, culminating in payments to the exchequer. These stringent measures follow lobbying efforts by Airbnb, which has advocated for proportional regulatory frameworks aligning with the industry’s interests.

In response, Airbnb expressed support for balanced regulations that safeguard tourism-dependent entities while collaborating with the government on implementing the new rules. As Ireland seeks to address housing challenges, these regulations signal a shift towards more stringent oversight of short-term letting platforms to rebalance the housing market dynamics.