The case in summary: Tommy Kildahl has been running Airbnb rentals in Senja in Troms for seven years, and has bought his own house to receive guests. Storting politician Torgeir Knag Fylkesnes believes the regulations for private short-term rentals and Airbnb should be tightened. He sees it as a district problem with increasing tourist flows. Several mayors in district municipalities confirm that short-term letting of private homes contributes to making the housing market tight, and can prevent new establishments. Finance Minister Trygve Slagsvold Vedum believes that local authorities should have the main direction in the regulation of letting. He believes that local solutions are important. The landlord at Senja is no stranger to increased taxation. But he believes that it is the tourists, and not the Airbnb landlords, who should contribute first. He is also open to selling his house if a buyer who wants to settle down comes forward. The summary is made by an AI service from OpenAI. The content is quality assured by news’s journalists before publication. Tommy Kildahl has fired up the barbecue outside the house he rents out to tourists at Senja in Troms. Outside you can hear the river flowing by. – I always take the guests here first. I tell them about Senja, stories about the house and the surrounding nature. For me, it is important that all guests have a good experience of Senja, he says. Tommy Kildahl has a background in healthcare and is a taxi driver. He rents out housing in Senja. Photo: Kari Anne Skoglund / news Seven years ago Kildahl opened the family cabin for Airbnb guests. The taxi driver thought it was so pleasant to meet people who wanted to experience Senja, that he bought his own house to receive guests. – I meet exciting people, and learn a lot about other cultures. I use to say that it is a gift to my life to be allowed to receive guests. – The guests are impressed by the hospitality they experience at Senja. They say they feel well taken care of no matter where they are on the island. As a host, I give Senja a good reputation. Everyone who comes here says they want to come back, says Tommy Kildahl. Photo: Kari Anne Skoglund / news The flow of tourists is increasing But not everyone thinks that private short-term rental companies should be allowed to continue operating as freely as they do today. Storting politician and deputy leader of SV, Torgeir Knag Fylkesnes, believes the regulations for private short-term rentals and Airbnb should be tightened. – Airbnb is about to become a major district problem, when the flow of tourists increases and increases. – Short-term rentals and the number of rental days should be regulated and taxed more. And not least, there should be regulation on how many units individuals can rent out, says the Storting politician from Tromsø. SV politician Torgeir Knag Fylkesnes wants his party to advocate stricter regulations on short-term rentals. Photo: Pål Hansen / news He says he feels that people want to settle in the district, but are struggling to find housing. – Those who want to settle in a local community must go ahead of those who want to run a pure rental business. Then we have to use tools such as tax and regulation. The SV politician believes that the challenge of housing shortages has become so great in several places in the country that local measures are no longer sufficient. He believes the government should do more. – It is tourists and people who want to facilitate short-term rentals who win. Those who want to settle are squeezed out. If you don’t regulate a market that doesn’t work, development will continue. It will ultimately impoverish the districts. Should private individuals who rent out to tourists have to endure more taxes and restrictions? Yes No Only they rent out several units Show result – Can prevent new establishments A survey carried out by news shows that there are currently 6,477 rental units in Northern Norway. There is an increase of 29 per cent since July 2023. In the first week of September there are: 339 who offer Airbnb in Tromsø. 138 providers in Senja in Midt-Troms. 113 and 39 providers in Lyngen and Kvænangen in Nord-Troms, respectively. The figures are obtained from Airbnb, which is one of several players in short-term rental. Several mayors in district municipalities confirm that short-term letting of private homes contributes to making the housing market tight. – We see that Airbnb can be a challenge when homes are reserved for tourism, and not those who will live and live here, says Nordreisa mayor Hilde Nyvoll (Ap). Mayor of Nordreisa, Hilde Nyvoll. Photo: Pål Hansen / news – Around half of the housing stock in Kvænangen is used for leisure purposes. It raises prices and makes it difficult for new people to establish themselves here, says Kvænangen mayor Kai Petter Johansen (SV). Mayor of Kvænangen, Kai Petter Johansen. Photo: Pål Hansen / news Both live in Nord-Troms. Tourism and short-term rentals are greater in Senja. Municipal politician Aleksander Uteng (Ap) says it is happening at a pace they had not imagined. – We see that more and more homes are becoming the object of speculation, which prevents people from establishing themselves. The consequences are that we cannot move in. That is why regulations are needed, he says. Aleksander Uteng is a municipal politician in Senja. He is from the tourist village of Fjordgård. ARCHIVE Photo: Kari Anne Skoglund / news The Finance Minister would rather have local rules Finance Minister Trygve Slagsvold Vedum (Sp) shares the concern for the district. But he does not agree that the answer is stricter national regulations for letting. – It would be wrong to make one-sided rules. Locals should be in charge here. It is very wrong to create a standardized rule that applies to the whole of Norway, because there are so many different conditions, he says. Vedum points out that more people want tourism, and that the municipalities already have tools they can use. Minister of Finance Trygve Slagsvold Vedum. Photo: Torkil Stoltz / Torkil Stoltz – We have licensing rules and some municipalities have introduced compulsory residence. We are working to see if there are new measures we can provide to the municipalities, when there is so much tourism. Vedum says that the measures must be anchored locally. – Perhaps tourist municipalities can set conditions around the construction of new apartment buildings so that the local teacher or plumber can live there, he says. Senja mayor Geir-Inge Sivertsen (H) is also unsure whether increased regulations are the way to go. – We clearly see now with the increase in tourism, that a lot is rented out in that market. It may displace people who want to settle. But at the same time, we are positive that the tourists who visit us can have an accommodation option, he says. Mayor of Senja municipality, Geir Inge Sivertsen (H). Photo: Pål Hansen / news Rather want a tourist tax Senja has no major hotels. As the mayor points out, Airbnb rentals have been a key for more people to experience the island’s unique nature. This year, tourist host Kildahl has for the first time experienced bookings via a travel agency. The taxi driver says that it is not the money that motivates him to welcome tourists. Photo: Kari Anne Skoglund / news – I drive a taxi, and I hear many people say that they are sorry that houses are bought up by people who only think about renting and making a profit. This can prevent access for young people who want to establish themselves here. There is no doubt that there are two sides to look after, he says. Kildahl is no stranger to increased taxation. But he believes that it is the tourists, and not the Airbnb landlords, who should contribute first. – I would not mind being taxed more. But I’m in favor of a tourist tax. Because the road network is bad and needs an upgrade. We need to take care of those who come here, and those who already live in Senja. He says that it is also not out of the question to sell the house if a buyer who wanted to settle here should come forward. – Everything is for sale for the right price. The house has been on the market before, he says. Photo: Kari Anne Skoglund / news Hello! Hello! If you have any thoughts or input on what you have read, please send me an e-mail. If you have or know someone who is experiencing a housing shortage in the district, please let us know about them. Published 03/09/2024, at 05.14
ttn-69
Want stricter national rules – news Troms and Finnmark
