Vil ha regjeringen på banen: – Ødelegger nabolag

Norwegian politician Abid Raja, member of the opposition party Venstre, has criticized the government for doing "virtually nothing" to address the negative impact of short-term rental platforms. The politician, who is currently in Tromsø to develop new housing policies, claims that the situation in the city is described as "the West," where many actors, including professionals, are not following the rules.

These activities are causing property prices to rise, making it difficult for ordinary people to find housing and rent.

Raja argues that actions should be taken to stop this development before it further deteriorates the local community. He believes that municipalities should have the authority to shut down short-term rental operations that violate regulations. Furthermore, he suggests considering limits on the number of secondary dwellings individuals or companies can use for short-term rental purposes.

Raja argues that a business like Airbnb should be treated like a hotel, which is a professional enterprise that pays taxes, employs people, and contributes to the overall value of society. Airbnb, on the other hand, does not do these things.

The Socialist People's Party representative Anne Lise Fredlund also believes that the government is lagging behind in addressing the issue. She points out that the party already had proposals for new regulations on short-term rentals in 2025 but they have not been implemented yet. Fredlund emphasizes that the situation is "pretty hopeless" and that communities need to be able to prohibit short-term rentals. She states that waiting is not an option and that municipalities should be able to prevent short-term rentals.