Tromsø rental operators face decline amid new regulations

Short-term rental operators in Tromsø are reporting a decline in available units due to regulatory uncertainty and social stigma, a phenomenon described by Tromsø Rental Hub’s Lasse Vebostad as ‘Airbnb-shame’. The company has seen a 10 to 15 percent decrease in managed units as landlords express discomfort with unclear rules and negative public sentiment.

In response, Tromsø Municipality is increasing oversight. Supported by 2 million NOK in state funding, the municipality has established a dedicated project group to identify illegal commercial short-term rentals. The initiative aims to enforce regulations through fees and orders, with the goal of making more housing available in the permanent rental market.

Hanne Beate Stenvaag, a Member of Parliament for Troms, noted that current planning and building laws were not designed to handle the scale of modern short-term rental practices, highlighting a lack of effective tools for municipalities to manage the issue.