Airbnb criticizes partial ban on short-term rentals in Zurich

Airbnb has issued its first formal criticism regarding new regulations in Zurich that restrict the commercial short-term rental of business apartments in residential zones. Effective September 1, the city requires official building permits for anyone wishing to offer apartments for short-term use, even if no physical renovations are made.

Under the new rules, short-term rentals can no longer be counted toward the minimum residential quota of a property. For example, in a building requiring an 80 percent residential share, only a limited number of units may now be used for short-term purposes. The city aims to prevent entire buildings from being converted into anonymous second homes and to increase the availability of affordable housing for locals.

Airbnb argues that the measure will not achieve its intended goal of lowering rents, citing similar bans in Barcelona and Amsterdam as evidence. The company maintains that the majority of its hosts in Switzerland are “homesharers”—individuals renting out their own primary residences—who do not deplete the housing stock. Airbnb also stated that short-term rentals represent a very small fraction of total housing in Switzerland.