The Gates Are Closing: Budapest’s Terézváros District Bans Airbnb

Hello, dear readers! I’ve got some interesting news for you today about the future of Airbnb in Budapest. As you might have heard, the residents of Terézváros, the city’s vibrant 6th district, recently had the opportunity to vote on whether or not to ban Airbnb-style short-term rentals in their neighborhood.

Well, the results are in, and it looks like change is on the horizon! Despite a relatively low turnout of just over 20%, the majority of those who did vote (54%) were in favor of putting an end to Airbnb rentals in the district.

Following this decision, the local government has announced that they will be drafting a new regulation to be presented at the council meeting in late October. If passed, this regulation will set the number of days that private and other accommodation can be rented out in Terézváros to zero. That’s right, zero days!

But don’t worry, the ban won’t come into effect immediately. The local government has decided to give property owners and Airbnb hosts plenty of time to adjust, with the new regulation set to come into force on January 1, 2026. That’s over a year to prepare for the changes.

It’s worth noting that this is a pretty unprecedented move for a district-level government in Europe. While cities like Lisbon, Amsterdam, Berlin, Rome, London, and Barcelona have all taken steps to regulate short-term rentals, Terézváros is the first district to take such a strong stance.

As you can imagine, this decision is likely to have a significant impact on the local housing market. Some experts predict that it could lead to an increase in long-term rental properties and potentially more affordable housing prices in the medium term.

Of course, this is just the beginning of the story. We’ll be keeping a close eye on developments over the coming months and years to see how this ban plays out in practice. Will other districts in Budapest follow suit? Could we see similar regulations introduced at a national level? Only time will tell!

In the meantime, if you’re planning a trip to Budapest and hoping to stay in an Airbnb in Terézváros, you might want to start looking at alternative options. And if you’re a property owner in the district, now’s the time to start thinking about your long-term plans.

Image source: cacor