Global Regulatory Notes (10)
Sydney, AU considers ban; Brazil STRs requires approval; Clarington, ON's MAT into force; Cobourg, ON considers zoning updates; East Kootenay, BC proposed STR density limits; Whitehorse, YT; England; Greece, Thessaloniki, GR; Jozsefvaros, HU; Malta; Amsterdam, NL; Highlands, SCT; READ MORE.
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA
Short-term rental platforms like Airbnb and Stayz face a potential prohibition across parts of Sydney's inner suburbs under a proposal advanced by City of Sydney Council in May 2026. The ban would activate in any suburb where rental vacancy rates fall below three percent, a threshold already breached in ten areas within the LGA.
Councillor Sylvie Ellsmore introduced this motion and questioned the effectiveness of NSW's 180-day STR cap.
BRAZIL
A landmark STJ ruling issued May 7, 2026 establishes that short-term stays of under 90 days in residential condominiums in Brazil now require formal assembly approval backed by a two-thirds ownership quorum.
The court cited concerns over security, guest circulation, and the residential character of buildings when hosting through platforms like Airbnb.
STJ Case Agenda/Procedural Document Resp 2.121.055
This official STJ case page is tied to Brazil’s ruling on condominium approval for Airbnb-style rentals.
CANADA
CLARINGTON, ON
A 5% Municipal Accommodation Tax comes into force in Clarington on July 1, 2026. This will apply to short-term overnight stays of fewer than 29 days.
By provincial law, all MAT funds must support local tourism development covering marketing, infrastructure, and place-making. The Ontario Restaurant, Hotel and Motel Association will handle collection and remittance on the municipality's behalf.
COBOURG, ON
A public meeting set for May 20, 2026 will consider administrative updates to Cobourg's Comprehensive Zoning By-law 066-2025 including the addition of short-term rental accommodation as a permitted use in three zones: Cobourg East Mixed Use (CEMU), Mixed Commercial (MC), and Mixed Use Corridor (MUC).
The proposed STR provisions also address mapping errors and missing definitions while representing a notable expansion of where rentals are formally allowed under the bylaw.
EAST KOOTENAY, BC
A new report that headed to the Regional District of East Kootenay's Planning and Development Services Committee on May 7, 2026 recommended binding density limits on STRs in Electoral Area F. Concentrations in some streets in the area have reached 42% of dwellings.
The Fairmont Hot Springs and Windermere Community Associations are proposing a three-STR-per-street cap, a 60-metre separation requirement, and a 10% neighbourhood ceiling which are all implementable within the existing Temporary Use Permit system under authority granted by provincial Bill 25.
WHITEHORSE, YT
After years of debate and public hearings, Whitehorse city council passed a new zoning bylaw on May 11 that will ban standalone short-term rentals in residential zones. The regulations phase in over two years: non-hosted STRs remain permitted through October 2027, after which residential-zone listings must be tied to the host's primary residence with a maximum of three units on the same lot.
A grandfather clause was added to protect existing operators particularly seniors using STRs as retirement income. The new regulations coming into force on October 1, 2026 will give current operators a transition window before the primary-residence rule takes full effect.
ENGLAND
Short-term rental platforms operating in England could face licensing requirements and nightly caps if recommendations from the Institute for Public Policy Research gain traction this month.
The IPPR presented the proposals to government officials in May 2026 as part of a package that includes a "double lock" rent ceiling tied to inflation or wage growth.
GREECE
Greece's Tourism Spatial Plan has advanced to a published draft as of May 12 with the Ministries of Environment and Tourism releasing a Joint Ministerial Decision that could impose outright STR bans in heavily pressured destinations.
STR platform beds would factor into carrying capacity calculations for the first time with the strictest measures targeting islands such as Mykonos and Santorini.
THESSALONIKI, GREECE
AADE’s Official Guide on Greece’s short-term rental (STR) framework for Airbnb-style properties
New Airbnb-style short-term rental licences will be prohibited in central Thessaloniki under pending Greek legislation aimed at keeping housing affordable as confirmed by Finance Minister Kyriakos Pierrakakis on May 8.
The ban applies to new licenses only and takes effect immediately upon the bill's passage.
JOZSEFVAROS, HUNGARY
Józsefváros is considering a three-tiered short-term rental framework that would cap STR properties at 4 percent of the district's total housing stock.
District VIII's mayor has consistently preferred regulations tailored to local conditions over a full ban.
In Józsefváros, only a very small percentage of apartments could be listed as Airbnb rentals, and this is due to planned local regulations.https://t.co/sA08gCke7B
— Hungary Today (@HungaryToday) May 13, 2026
MALTA
A new tax credit scheme for tourist accommodation operators is being proposed in Malta as part of the Labour Party's general election platform.
Deputy Prime Minister Ian Borg announced the measure on 7 May 2026 and positioned it as an incentive for operators who invest in renovation and quality upgrades.
AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS
Starting 1 April 2026, Amsterdam reduced the permitted STR rental period to 15 nights per year down from 30 in the city centre and Pijp.
The national VAT on hotel accommodation that increased from 9% to 21% in January 2026 brought Amsterdam's combined accommodation tax burden to roughly 33.5%. The municipality has signaled a possible further tourism tax increase as early as January 2027 if stays remain above 20 million nights.
HIGHLANDS, SCOTLAND
Inverness councillors Michael Gregson and Duncan Macpherson have tabled a proposal that would make planning permission mandatory for all short-term let operators across the Scottish Highlands to supplement the current licensing requirement.
Across the proposed control area, nearly one in ten homes built within the past five years now operates as holiday accommodation.
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