Global Regulatory Notes (11)
Know the latest on STRs across the Globe. Canada; British Columbia; Kootenay; Kitchener; Winnipeg; Montreal; United Kingdom; Ireland; Spain; Barcelona; Ho Chi Minh. READ MORE.
Keep a pulse on global regulatory trends. Featuring critical updates and recent news on short-term rental policies around the world, we highlight key developments shaping the industry. 🌐
Canada
British Columbia
The Association of Interior Realtors is urging B.C. to revise its short-term rental rules saying a blanket policy doesn’t work for diverse communities.
In a new report, the group recommends restoring zoning autonomy to local governments creating exemption zones near essential worksites aligning rules with tourism seasons, and exempting strata hotel and fractional ownership units.
Kootenay, BC
With a busier tourism season expected in the Kootenays, short-term rental hosts are bracing for the impact of B.C.’s new STR rules which require registration and business licenses by June 23 or risk delisting.
Hosts like Karen Belland, who built properties specifically for tourists, say the changes are forcing them into long-term leasing despite soaring demand. The province says the rules are meant to free up housing, but critics argue that tourist towns like Nelson will face supply shortages and higher prices.
Kitchener, ON
Kitchener’s city councilors are weighing a new bylaw that would regulate short-term rentals by introducing a licensing framework and eliminating the annual cap on rental days.
But STR operators are pushing back citing the financial burden of being classified as commercial entities by insurers. With a narrow 6–5 vote, the committee chose to delay a final decision until the June 23 council meeting.
Winnipeg, Manitoba
More than a year into Winnipeg’s short-term rental licensing regime, city data shows moderate compliance and limited enforcement. Of the 698 licenses issued, just under half were for non-primary residences, with fines totaling under $10,000 from 165 complaints.
While the city brought in $700,000 in net revenue, some former hosts say licensing costs, the 30-day stay limit, and reduced flexibility have made the sector unsustainable.
Montreal, Quebec
Montreal is tightening the screws on short-term rentals with new seasonal restrictions that took effect June 10, limiting hosts to renting only their primary residences and only during the summer from June to September.
Ville de Montréal
The city hopes this stricter bylaw will reduce the number of illegal listings and help restore badly needed housing stock. After years of what many viewed as a “Wild West” of STR activity, Mayor Valérie Plante says the city is drawing a clear line: permits are required, and anything outside the narrow operating window will be considered illegal.
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United Kingdom
Cities across the UK are stepping up short-term rental enforcement in 2025, responding to worsening housing shortages with a wave of new regulations. London continues to cap entire-home Airbnb listings at 90 days a year, while Oxford is closing unauthorized units like the high-profile “Shark House.”
Edinburgh is cracking down on unlicensed hosts and expanding its tourist tax, Brighton is increasing fines for non-compliant listings, and Cornwall is pushing for mandatory planning permission and stronger platform data sharing.
In other news, rights groups have filed a criminal complaint with the UK’s National Crime Agency urging an investigation into Airbnb’s operations in Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories.
The Global Legal Action Network and Al-Haq allege Airbnb may have violated UK anti-money laundering laws by facilitating rentals in over 300 settlement properties. Despite pledging in 2018 to delist such properties, Airbnb reversed course after US legal pressure and now donates profits from these rentals.
Ireland
Irish-Palestinian rights groups have launched a judicial review challenging the Gardaí’s 2023 decision not to investigate Airbnb’s operations in Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories.
The groups allege that Airbnb Ireland may be complicit in money laundering by facilitating listings in illegal settlements, citing that revenue from these properties could violate Irish law. Although Airbnb says it complies with both Irish and U.S. laws and donates West Bank profits, activists argue the lack of a Garda investigation was irrational.
Spain
Starting July 1, Spain will begin enforcing sweeping new EU regulations targeting unregistered short-term rentals, significantly impacting platforms like Airbnb and Booking.com.
The law, officially adopted as Regulation 2024/1028, mandates that all short-term rental properties must have a unique registration number issued through the national Ventanilla Única portal before being listed.
Platforms will be obligated to verify registration numbers, audit listings, and ensure compliance or face penalties.
Barcelona, Spain
Barcelona is ramping up its offensive against illegal tourist rentals with Deputy Mayor Laia Bonet preparing new measures aimed at holding platforms like Airbnb accountable. The city has flagged 800 listings that allegedly lack proper licensing and remain active despite takedown requests, prompting Bonet to accuse Airbnb of complicity in illegal housing practices.
In a broader effort to regain control of the housing market, the city council has also announced it will stop renewing legal tourist apartment licenses after 2028, effectively setting a deadline for phasing out STRs entirely.
Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam
Amid rising tensions between hosts and city officials, Ho Chi Minh City confirmed it will maintain its ban on short-term rentals in apartments—such as Airbnb listings—until 2027 while drafting new oversight rules.
Plans are underway to develop a licensing framework, tax reporting system, and smart digital infrastructure for real-time monitoring. The city is also building a cooperative model with rental platforms and regulatory agencies to ensure compliance and streamline enforcement moving forward.
🌐 Emerging Global Trends
Around the world, authorities are reshaping short-term rental regulations to address complex issues in housing markets and tourism economies. From targeted local rules to intensified platform oversight and legal scrutiny, these changes reveal a global movement toward more nuanced and enforceable policies in the short-term rental sector.
What this means:
🌅 Shift Toward Localized and Seasonal Regulation Models: Across regions like British Columbia, Montreal, and Spain, governments are moving away from one-size-fits-all regulations and toward policies that better reflect local housing and tourism dynamics. The Association of Interior Realtors in B.C. is pushing for exemptions in essential worker zones and seasonal tourist areas, while Montreal has imposed a summer-only rental window for primary residences. Meanwhile, Spain is rolling out an EU-driven national registration system designed to centralize control while still allowing for platform accountability at the local level.
🗺️ Intensified Enforcement and Platform Accountability Worldwide: Governments from Barcelona to the United Kingdom are escalating their efforts to enforce compliance through stronger fines, license caps, and direct pressure on booking platforms. Human rights groups in the UK and Ireland have filed legal challenges alleging Airbnb’s complicity in renting properties in Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territories, accusing the company of violating anti-money laundering laws and international standards despite Airbnb’s public commitments. Spain’s new regulations require platforms to audit and verify listings under threat of penalty, signaling a broader push to hold intermediaries accountable for illegal or unregistered activity.
🏠 Mounting Tensions Between STR Operators and Housing-Oriented Policies: Short-term rental hosts are increasingly clashing with policymakers over restrictions meant to preserve housing stock, as seen in Kootenay, Winnipeg, and Kitchener. Many hosts argue that regulations—such as primary residence requirements, 30-day minimums, or high licensing costs—undermine their businesses even in tourism-reliant areas. In Kitchener, resistance from operators led to a delayed vote, while in Winnipeg, reduced STR profitability has triggered market exits. The pushback underscores the challenge of balancing housing access with local tourism economies.
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