The end of discretion in short-term rentals. Municipalities will be given the right to prohibit
Tough rules for short-term rentals are coming. Local governments will have the right to limit or even ban them – we know the key assumptions of the project.
Poland 2050 announces the presentation of a draft bill next week, which – according to the findings of Business Insider Polska – organizes two key areas for municipalities and housing communities and cooperatives. MPs from this formation declare that they do not want to wait any longer for government solutions. Although the project prepared by the Ministry of Sport and Tourism has been ready since February, the Council of Ministers has not yet dealt with it.
Changes in regulations
The most important change is providing local governments with real tools for managing short-term rentals. Municipal councils, by way of resolutions, will be able to introduce limits on the number of days per year in which premises can be rented to tourists, determine the maximum number of people per square meter, and even ban short-term rentals in selected areas. This means that cities and communes will have the opportunity to adapt their policies to local conditions – e.g. in historical centers or districts most affected by nuisance.
The second pillar of change is the rights for communities and cooperatives. If a given area is not excluded by a resolution of the commune council, communities and cooperatives will be able to limit or completely prohibit short-term rentals in their buildings by their own resolution. In practice, residents will receive a tool to respond to nuisance resulting from intense tourist traffic in apartment blocks.
The project also envisages strengthening law enforcement. The representative of the local government (mayor) is to gain – with the help of the National Tax Administration – control powers and the ability to impose penalties on owners of premises violating the regulations. Thus, the system is to include not only regulations, but also real sanctions.
The changes are in line with the EU directive, which will come into force on May 20, 2026. In accordance with EU law, each premises rented for less than 30 days will be subject to mandatory registration at the office. The apartment will contain information with the contact details of the person responsible for renting, and intermediary platforms will be obliged to verify whether the offer comes from an entity that meets the requirements. The aim is to reduce the gray zone and organize the market, which has so far operated with great freedom.
High income
The scale of the phenomenon is significant. According to Airbnb data, in 2024, hosts in Poland welcomed over 1.8 million guests, which translated into PLN 2.5 billion in revenues. A typical host earned just over PLN 8,300, and the total revenues of all hosts exceeded PLN 729 million. About 73 percent those offering rentals provide only one premises. The announced regulations – although they are intended to bring order to the market – may cause considerable confusion in the industry, which has so far operated without coherent, nationwide rules.
Poland 2050 announces the presentation of the official project next week. If legislative work gains momentum, the new regulations should enter into force on the date specified in EU obligations.
