The draft legislation would raise the annual flat tax on short-term rentals in Budapest from HUF 38,400 to HUF 150,000 per room from 2025, while suspending the issue of new short-term rental licences in 2025 and 2026.

The new rules would only apply to short-term rentals in the capital.

The ministry noted that rents in Budapest, where 140,000 of the 800,000 households are tenants, could reach as high as 50-60pc of renters' monthly income. At the same time, the number of rooms at Airbnb-type accommodations has risen close to 26,000, raising property prices as well as rents, it added.

Since the pandemic, rents and home prices in Budapest have climbed over 40pc, pricing some homebuyers out of the market, the ministry said. Additionally, short-term rentals have restricted permanent residents' right to an "undisturbed" home life, it added.

The ministry said local governments' lack of action in the matter had only made things worse, justifying intervention by the central government.

Changes to short-term rental rules impact capital only - tourism agency

A two-year suspension of issues of permits for short-term rentals and an increase in the room tax for Airbnb-type activity will affect the area of the capital only, not other settlements, the Hungarian Tourism Agency said on Tuesday, responding to press inquiries.

"The measures will not affect other settlements in Hungary, now or in future," the agency said.

Hungarian Tourism Agency head Laszlo Konnyid noted that the capital had led the country in terms of guest nights last year, with 14,200,000. Siofok, on Lake Balaton, was runner-up, with 1,117,497 guest nights, followed by the spa towns of Hajduszoboszlo (1,111,620) and Heviz (1,068,724).

Source: 
MTI - The Hungarian News Agency, founded in 1881.

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