Prague 1 is stepping up the pressure on short-term apartment rental platforms like Airbnb by agreeing to subsidize the installation of biometric locks for buildings in the center. Apartment building owners associations have until the end of March to apply for the program through which the district will help them buy fingerprint scanners that can unlock doors. The idea is to make it more difficult for owners of apartments in the most popular parts of the city to give access to tourists. Prague 1 will also subsidize the installation of radio controlled water meters that measure the usage of individual flats. Neighbors often complain that flats rented by Airbnb guests have vastly higher useage and that this isn’t tracked accurately by standard meters. Critics warn that this will create as many problems as it’s designed to solve, including how standard apartment owners can accommodate genuine guests in their homes.
