European Cities Forcing Airbnb to Play by the Rules

Aamna Mohdin surveys the world's cities to account for the regulatory ground ceded by Airbnb, the most famous of the short-term rental websites. According to Mohdin, the regulatory changes have leveled the playing field between Airbnb and traditional hotels: " Renting a room, or a home, from Airbnb has historically been far cheaper than staying in a hotel in part because people who rent out their homes via the service generally don’t pay the same business taxes levied on commercial properties."
Airbnb has made concessions to curb these tax advantages in cities around the world, including London, Amsterdam, Paris, and Berlin. The article explains the policy changes, with links to additional resources, in each of those cities.