Two charged in Singapore over Airbnb rentals

SINGAPORE: Two men have been charged here with illegally renting out apartments on Airbnb, the first such prosecutions in the city-state under new rules, local media reported yesterday.

Regulations introduced in May ban homeowners from leasing property for less than three months without approval from authorities, meaning many short-term rentals on Airbnb should be illegal.

Housing policy is tightly controlled here, where 80 per cent of the population lives in public housing which is subsidised by the government.

Singaporeans Terence Tan En Wei, 35, and Yao Song Liang, 34, appeared in court on Tuesday charged with illegally leasing out four apartments in a luxury private condominium here.

The Straits Times newspaper reported that they had used Airbnb. They face a fine of up to S$200,000 (RM604,000) if convicted.

The Urban Redevelopment Authority, which regulates housing, said it would take action against anyone responsible for letting out property for short-term accommodation.

Despite the new rules, California-headquartered Airbnb remains popular in Singapore, with the company saying it has over 8,700 listings in the city-state.

An Airbnb spokesman said current rules did not reflect how Singaporeans use their homes and travel, and the company hoped to work with local authorities to find a way forward.