The trigger is a set of regulations, upheld by the Federal Supreme Court, which have been in force since 1 September 2026. Under building regulations in Zurich, flats let on a short-term basis are classified as commercial use and may therefore no longer be counted towards the floor area reserved for residential purposes. Anyone wishing to convert a flat into a business flat must now submit a planning application, even if no structural alterations are involved.
This means the regulation affects not only traditional holiday rentals but, above all, professionalised short-term accommodation in residential areas. At the end of 2025, the city had around 5,300 Airbnbs and business apartments. Exactly how many of these will be subject to the new regulations remains to be seen. What is clear, however, is that Zurich intends to make it significantly more difficult to convert flats into commercial short-term accommodation.
Airbnb questions the benefits
Airbnb has now commented publicly on the Zurich regulations for the first time and disputes that it has a significant impact on the availability and affordability of housing. The platform points out that the vast majority of hosts in Zurich only rent out their own homes occasionally. Such home-sharing arrangements are, in fact, exempt from the Zurich regulations as long as they involve the host’s own home whilst they are away.
The city is focusing on enforcement
For owners, operators and property managers, the real turning point lies in enforcement. The City of Zurich is setting up a team comprising five full-time posts, limited to a three-year period, to enforce the regulations from the start of 2027. An annual budget of 650,000 Swiss francs has been earmarked for this. As early as September 2026, 338 reports of possible breaches had already been received. This demonstrates the extent to which the issue has now permeated day-to-day property management and planning law procedures.
More proceedings for existing flats
The impact on the property market is tangible. Flats that have hitherto been used flexibly as business apartments are now subject to additional licensing requirements in residential zones. Property owners must clearly declare the intended use, submit planning applications and, in the event of breaches, expect to be required to restore the property to its lawful state without delay. Whether this will actually result in a noticeable increase in housing supply remains to be seen. The only certainty for the time being is that Zurich has significantly raised the bar for commercial short-term lettings.
