Berlin has banned short-term apartment rentals by companies like Airbnb to tourists. Owners who defy the ban will now risk fines of up to €100,000, and neighbors are being encouraged to make anonymous tips. City officials have claimed they acted in an attempt to halt rising rental costs and to make sure affordable housing continues to be possible to find. The new restriction came into effect at the beginning of May, banning short-term leasing to tourists without a permit. Residents will still be able to lease out single rooms in their apartments. The move affects all such rentals, but it’s being interpreted as directed against the world’s biggest short-term rental company Airbnb.
