Short-term rentals: FAQs

Updated 10 months ago | 5 min read time
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Short-term rentals (STR) are typically categorised as private properties that are rented out as accommodation to guests for limited periods of time. STR properties can be subject to specific regulations, which may vary per country, region and municipality. Read on to find answers to the most commonly asked questions about STRs.


What’s in this article:

  1. Complying with local STR regulations
  2. Providing your licence or registration numbers
  3. Property closure and reopening

 

  • Depending on the local context, we may:

    • Collect your licence/registration number during the property registration process. In some contexts, it’s mandatory for STR partners to provide a number in this field in order to be listed on our platform. In others, this is optional. If we collect your licence/registration number, we’ll display it on your property page on our platform.
    • Verify that the number provided is in the format required in your local context.
    • Validate your licence number, upon request from local authorities.
    • Close your property for bookings on our platform if you’re found to be in breach of local laws and regulations, or if you’re required to provide a licence/registration number but fail to do so.
    • Share data about STR activities on our platform with local authorities as legally required, following all applicable privacy and data protection laws.
  • As an STR partner, you’re responsible for ensuring that you’re familiar and compliant with the regulations that apply to your property in your specific municipality, country and/or region. If we become aware of a new regulation, we’ll inform affected partners. To avoid communication issues, please make sure that you provide us with your correct email address. If we’re required to close your property on our platform, we’ll email you to let you know when this will take place.

  • This depends on the regulations that apply in your local context. If we are legally required to collect this information from you, we’ll request it during your property registration process and via the extranet.

    Please note that legal requirements that apply to our platform may differ from those that apply to you. Be sure to familiarise yourself with your local STR regulations to make sure you’re compliant.

  • You can add or update this information in the extranet. Here’s how to add a licence or registration number issued for a whole property:

    1. Log in to the extranet
    2. Click on Property and then on General info
    3. Select your licence type and enter your licence number, or select one of the exemptions available in the drop-down menu – please note that this section may be customised to your local context
    4. Click on Update your info to finalise

    If the licence issued to you is for individual units within a property, you’ll need to follow these steps to add a licence or registration number:

    1. Log in to the extranet
    2. Click Property and then on Property layout
      or Room details
    3. For each of your units, click Edit then add the licence or registration number for that unit under Please tell us your licence number – depending on your local regulations, this section may also be called Please tell us your registration number or Short-term rental regulations
    4. Add any other licence-related information
    5. Click Continue to finalise

    If you have multiple units or rooms, you’ll need to add a licence to each of your units. If you have one licence covering all the units of your property, you can add the same licence to all units.

  • If exemptions are possible in your local context, you’ll see an exemption field in the licence/registration number collection flow in the extranet. You can indicate your reason for exemption here.

    Here’s how to indicate a property-level exemption:

    1. Log in to the extranet
    2. Click Property and then on General info
    3. Select the relevant exemption from the drop-down menu – please note that this section may be customised to your local context
    4. Click Update your info to finalise

    Here’s how to indicate a room/unit-level exemption:

    1. Log in to the extranet
    2. Click Property and then on Property layout or Room details
    3. For each of your rooms/units, select the relevant exemption from the drop-down menu – please note that this section may be customised to your local context

    Click Continue to finalise

  • In certain circumstances, yes. If your property is going to be closed on our platform, we’ll send you an email explaining why and when this is happening. These are a few possible reasons:

    • Your property is missing a mandatory STR licence/registration number or other mandatory information
    • The licence/registration number you provided is invalid or was shared in an incorrect format
    • We received a request from local authorities and are legally required to comply
  • If your property’s been closed on our platform, you won’t be able to receive new bookings. You can reopen it for bookings by doing the following:

    • Check that you’ve provided your STR licence/registration number.
    • Check that the licence/registration number you provided is current, valid and added in the exact format that it was issued in by your local authorities.
    • Make sure that you’ve provided all other mandatory licence-related information, such as the residence type (primary/secondary), licence issue or expiry date or the name of the property manager. Please make sure that licence-related information you provide matches the information registered with local authorities.

    If you’ve done all of the above and still can’t reopen your property, we recommend contacting your local authorities to check if your licence/registration is in order. If you require additional support from us, please send us a message via your extranet inbox.

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