In case local Airbnb hosts aren’t getting the message yet, Singapore is cracking down hard on home rentals under than six months, which have been deemed illegal since May this year.
In a first under the new regulations, two men were dragged to court to face charges involving the provision of unauthorized short-term stays to tenants through the popular lodging rental service. Terence Tan En Wei, 35, and Yao Songlian, 34, face four charges each for renting out four units at Leedon Heights condominium to others for under six months, reported The Straits Times.
According to The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), most of such offences take place in condominiums. Though the government did cut the minimum rental period for private homes (like condos) to three months in June this year, Tan and Yao allegedly worked together to commit the offence before the changes kicked in.
The charges against the two arrive just a week after URA announced that there have been a higher number of private residential properties under investigation for violating the minimum stay duration of six months. This year, from January to September alone, saw 600 cases surfaced.
Court documents didn’t note how long the units were rented out for, but on average, Airbnb guests usually stay only for a few nights.
“Allowing residences to be used for short stays leads to high turnovers of occupants, and gives rise to nuisance and safety concerns,” URA wrote about the ruling. On Airbnb’s end, the company noted that it has repeatedly offered support to relevant agencies to “develop a framework that promotes responsible home-sharing”, but discussions haven’t really moved forward significantly.
Should the pair be convicted under the Planning act, they could be fined up to S$200,000. Repeat offenders could face the same fine, as well as up to a year in prison.
Tan and Yao’s cases will be heard again next January.
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