Short-term rentals are now coming under the scrutiny of the Ministry of Justice, as they have become one of the main sources of disputes in apartment buildings. The constant turnover of guests, security concerns, disturbances in shared areas, and disagreements between permanent residents and property owners who rent out their homes through platforms such as Airbnb have created a new reality that the current legal framework is unable to address.
As part of the comprehensive reform of the legislation governing horizontal and vertical property ownership, the Ministry of Justice is introducing specific regulations concerning short-term rentals, aiming to establish clear rules for coexistence within apartment buildings. This is one of the most significant interventions included in the new bill, which seeks to modernize a legislative framework that has remained essentially unchanged for almost a century.
Aiming to resolve conflicts
The rapid expansion of short-term rentals has significantly changed the way thousands of apartment buildings operate, particularly in major urban centers and tourist destinations. In recent years, disputes over the use of shared spaces, residents’ security, compliance with building regulations, and the strain placed on facilities due to the constant turnover of visitors have multiplied.
The Ministry of Justice acknowledges that this form of property exploitation has become a permanent feature of the real estate market and, for this reason, the new legal framework will include specific provisions regulating the issues arising from short-term rentals in apartment buildings.
Modernizing a law nearly 100 Years old
The changes concerning short-term rentals are part of a broader reform of the law governing horizontal and vertical property ownership, which has been in force since 1929. The goal is to create a more modern and flexible framework that reflects the current needs of property owners, property managers, and apartment building residents.
The new framework will also provide for easier amendments to apartment building regulations, faster dispute resolution, including through out-of-court procedures, and the modernization of the rules governing the establishment of horizontal and vertical property ownership. At the same time, any interested party acquiring a property will have access to the apartment building regulations, allowing them to know from the outset the rights and obligations arising from them.
New responsibilities for property managers
A significant part of the reform also concerns the role of the property manager, who will be assigned clearer responsibilities as well as increased obligations. The absence of a specific legal framework has often led to deadlocks and legal disputes, a situation that the Ministry seeks to address by defining specific duties and procedures.
At the same time, a special procedure is being introduced for the collection of shared building expenses, including through payment orders, while the mandatory creation of a reserve fund and compulsory building insurance are also being established, with the aim of ensuring that apartment buildings are able to respond to emergencies and necessary repairs.
Easier decisions for repairs and energy upgrades
The bill also changes the decision-making process during apartment building general assemblies. It provides for lower voting thresholds for maintenance works, repairs, and energy-efficiency upgrades, preventing necessary interventions from being delayed simply because the required majority cannot be achieved.
The new provisions are expected to facilitate the installation of rooftop solar panels, electric vehicle charging stations, and heat pumps, as well as the implementation of works that have until now been delayed due to disagreements among co-owners.
Possibility of splitting and combining apartments
Another significant change concerns the utilization of the existing building stock. The new framework will allow, even when the apartment building regulations provide otherwise, the subdivision or merger of individual condominium units, subject to the conditions established by law.
The measure is expected to increase the supply of housing, as larger apartments will be able to be divided into smaller residential units, better responding to current market demand and the needs of housing policy.
