The Airbnb ban in Terézváros may be overturned

By: Trademagazin Date: 2025. 07. 11. 10:40

The fate of the decree banning short-term apartment rentals in Budapest’s 6th district has caused a political storm: according to the capital’s government office, the Airbnb ban adopted by the Terézváros municipality in 2024 is unlawful, but the municipality refuses to amend the decision and would take the matter to the Curia – writes a recent article in Index.

According to the decree, which will come into effect on January 1, 2026, Terézváros would have completely stopped operating private accommodation, i.e. reduced the number of days that can be rented to zero. However, according to the Government Office of the Budapest Metropolitan Municipality, this step exceeds the municipality’s authority, since the current legislation allows for a maximum limitation of the number of days that can be rented, not a complete ban.

The decision was initiated by the Hungarian Apartment Rental Association through legal means. According to the association’s president, Balázs Schumicky, the zero-day regulation is not a restriction, but a ban, which may also raise constitutional concerns. According to him, the current decision means the annulment of the decree, even if the government office did not openly state this. Tamás Soproni, the mayor of Terézváros, however, reacted sharply. In his Facebook post, he accused the government office of political interference and stated that they would not amend the decree. According to his position, the municipality has the right to determine the number of days that can be rented out, and they made their decision taking into account the opinions of the residents. “Budapest is not a playground for those who profit from apartments, but our common home,” he said.

The debate sheds light on a deeper social tension: while many Budapest residents blame the rise in housing costs for the spread of Airbnb, many of the owners who live on short-term rentals choose this form out of necessity. A decisive referendum was held in the district in September 2024, in which the turnout exceeded 20 percent, and the majority of voters supported the ban. However, according to MAKE, the ban has not had any positive effects so far: real estate prices have not increased more slowly, the number of apartments for rent has not increased, and it has not been possible to prove that the majority of Airbnb apartments belong to “large investors”. Moreover, in order to circumvent the regulation, more and more people are requesting the reclassification of their apartments as guesthouses or hostels. The government office’s decision is for the time being a call to revoke the decree, but the municipality is expected to take the case to court. The Curia may have the final say – in the meantime, the debates surrounding Airbnb are keeping attention on one of the hottest topics in the capital’s housing policy.