Ostend joins other Belgian cities in fight against Airbnb
Ostend plans to limit Airbnb rentals in certain districts, mayor John Crombez said in an interview with Het Nieuwsblad this weekend. The move makes Ostend the latest Belgian city to try to curb the influence of online rental platforms.
During peak periods, Ostend’s population swells from 72,000 to more than 200,000, with many visitors staying in Airbnb rentals. These properties are currently not bound to the taxes paid by hotels—but that will soon change, mayor John Crombez said last weekend.
The city plans to tighten regulations. Under the new rules, property owners offering short-term rentals will have to pay the same taxes as hotel operators. Vacation rentals will also be capped, and in some areas banned entirely, to protect the quality of life for Ostend’s full-time residents.
Crombez’s plans are the latest example of Belgian cities pushing back against the disruptive influence of Airbnb. Major tourist destinations such as Ghent, Bruges, Brussels and Antwerp have already imposed restrictions on short-term property rentals.
Government action
The Flemish government has also adopted a tougher stance toward Airbnb and other rental platforms. All holiday rentals must be registered with the government, and the platforms are required to share data to help identify owners who break the rules.
And those regulations are being tightened further. The government is working on legal amendments to obtain more detailed information from platforms and to act more quickly in cases of violations.
Individual cities are stepping up enforcement as well. Earlier this year, Bruges announced it would intensify its search for unregistered holiday rentals and threatened immediate legal action against offenders.
These rules can carry significant financial consequences. Last week, Brussels tax authorities imposed fines and retroactive tourist tax payments on hundreds of people renting out properties via Airbnb. According to Le Soir, between 1.5 million and 2 million euros could be recovered for 2022 alone.
#FlandersNewsService | © Day trippers arriving in Oostende. BELGA PHOTO NICOLAS MAETERLINCK
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