The Airbnb ban in Terézváros may be overturned

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.