The National Council wants to make Airbnb rentals more difficult

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The bourgeoisie wants more regulation, the left less: in the National Council on Tuesday morning the world was turned upside down. Against the wishes of the SP, Groenen and GLP, the council has spoken out in favor of stricter rules for subletting apartments. The tightening also affects private individuals who rent out their apartment on a daily or weekly basis via Airbnb or similar platforms.

Tenants must always have written permission from the landlord if they want to sublet an apartment. The National Council also wants to give landlords more tools to prevent subletting if necessary. The landlord should now have an extraordinary right of termination if the tenant does not meet the requirements for the sublease.

SP is for Airbnb ban – but not for this solution

The bill comes from the Legal Committee of the National Council and will now go to the Council of States, which must also approve it. It goes back to an initiative of former Kingdom alderman Hans Egloff (63), chairman of the Owners’ Association. The National Council heard the case in February 2017. The deadline for considering the bill was then extended three times.

At the time, a majority of the council was of the opinion that action was also needed from rental platforms such as Airbnb. In cities, apartments in old buildings are often sublet at rents significantly higher than rents.

SP alderman Jacqueline Badran (61) recently called for an Airbnb ban as a measure against the current housing shortage. The left, however, is unwilling to support the proposal now on the table.

Greens, SP and GLP warn against more bureaucracy

The tightening is mainly a complication, argued Green National Council member Michael Töngi (55). Tenants risk being fired if they make a formal mistake. Beat Flach of the GLP spoke of a “bureaucratic blockade article, enriched with additional obstacles and consequences for tenants who want to sublet their rental property for a short or longer period of time”.

Center group leader Philipp Matthias Bregy (44) defended himself against this performance. What is proposed are “clear and fair rules for subletting” – and no bureaucracy and blockades.

The Bundesrat is against the change. He warns that the new regulations would make it very difficult or even impossible to use Airbnb and other platforms. In the future, the landlord should get the names of the subtenants in the subletting request. However, in some cases, bookings are made at very short notice, the government emphasizes.

Further decision in favor of the landlord

The National Council also approved a bill on Tuesday that should make it easier for landlords to use properties for their own use.

In concrete terms, termination of the leased premises should no longer only be possible if the owner has an “urgent” personal need, but if the owner can invoke “a significant and current personal need based on an objective assessment”. The proponents of this change hope that it will speed up litigation procedures.

This bill harks back to a parliamentary initiative by former national councilor of the Ticino FDP, Giovanni Merlini (60). The Bundesrat also opposed this proposal and was accepted with the votes of the SVP, FDP and Mitte parliamentary group. It also goes to the Council of States.

Tenants Association announces referenda

The supporters spoke of a small adjustment, which would also meet the wishes of the tenants. Opponents said the imbalance in tenancy law would shift further in favor of property owners with this unnecessary adjustment.

The Swiss Tenants Union announced “several referenda” on Monday if parliament voted in favor of tightening rental legislation. (IHA/SDA)

Source:Blick