(New: Prohibition also in Paris, 7./8. Paragraph added)
Florence (dpa -AfX) – As the first big city in the holiday country Italy, Florence banned the much -used key boxes for checking in in holiday apartments. The local council adopted the new regulation with a large majority. This is intended to prevent that in the capital of Tuscany with its 360,000 inhabitants, further rental apartments fall victim to mass tourism. Consider other cities to follow the example – also elsewhere in Europe.
In the historic center of Florence with the cathedral, the magnificent houses and the many museums such as the Uffizi, it is almost impossible today to get to an affordable apartment. Many owners prefer to rent internet portals such as Airbnb for a few days. That brings a lot more money. The key boxes that hang everywhere have become a symbol for this.
Local residents: “We are a dying species”
In some houses there are hardly any tenants who live there in the long run. The engineer Leonardo Lani, for example, is in the middle of Airbnb apartments in his house alone. “We are a dying way,” he told the daily “La Repubblica”. In protest against the short-term rentals, a citizens’ initiative called “Salviamo Firenze” (“Save we Florence”) recently stuck hundreds of boxes with red adhesive tape.
The ban now comes into force with immediate effect. The owners of holiday apartments in Florence still have ten days to lose weight. Then, if a key box is still hanging near the apartment door, 400 euros will be due. The boxes usually only cost around 35 euros.
Key boxes also in many German cities
In recent years, key boxes have also prevailed in many other countries for short-term rentals, including in German cities. The principle is simple: book overnight guests on the Internet and then receive a code with which you can open the number lock and remove the keys. When you leave, put the keys back in.
Italy is already going against such boxes. In the meantime, it has been prescribed nationwide that there must also be a meeting of owners and vacationers in short-term rentals. Actually, the personal details of the guests have to be registered within 24 hours of the arrival of the police – which is by no means all. There is also no general ban on keyboxes in Italy.
Paris also proceeds against key boxes
However, Florence is not alone with the ban on the key boxes. Paris also banned a ban on key boxes at the end of January, insofar as they are attached in public space and are hung on a public bicycle stand or a bank, for example. First, the box is provided with a warning sticker – if the landlord does not remove it, the city administration does so. The fine amounts to up to 1,500 euros.
In order to limit mass tourism and with a view to the tense housing market in the French capital, Paris shortened the duration at the beginning of the year, during which a private apartment can be rented out for tourism. Instead of 120 days a year, this is now only 90 days a year.
Owners criticize state coercion
The center-left mayor of Florence, Sara Funaro, called the decision the “start of a way of attention for more quality of life, decency and security”. The authorities also justify the ban on the fact that criminals should not find anonymous shelter. The owner association Aigad criticized it as a state coercion. Association leader Marco Celani referred to around 15 percent vacancy in the historical centers of Italy’s cities.
Apart from the increased rents, residents also criticize nightly noise, permanent noise by rolling cases in the streets and wear in the stairwells through the constant coming and walking. The boxes are already prohibited in the small town of Camogli on the Riviera and in French cities such as Marseille.
More than 4.5 million visitors a year
According to the city, more than 4.5 million tourists come to Florence every year. Many stay for several days. 60,000 people still live in the historical center. Italy is one of the most visited countries in the world: Last year, 450 million overnight stays of foreign guests were counted. Other cities such as Rome or Venice are now also trying to regulate short-term rentals.
As the first city in the world, the lagoon city at the Adriatic has been demanding short visitors since last year. This year, up to ten euros will be due from Easter on certain appointments to walk along the Venice channels for a few hours. The city of Pompeii near Naples spilled by the volcano even imposed a visitor limit: more than 20,000 tourists are no longer allowed to go ./cs/dp/jha
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