Revealed: Bucharest tourists hiring rentals that could collapse in an earthquake
Summary
Tourists in Bucharest, Romania, are renting apartments in buildings that are officially unsafe in case of a big earthquake. Many of these illegal rental listings appear on Airbnb and Booking.com, even though Romanian law bans renting in such high-risk buildings.Key Facts
- At least 207 illegal rental properties in Bucharest’s most earthquake-prone buildings are listed on Airbnb and Booking.com.
- These buildings have the highest seismic risk level, called RS1, and are banned from letting due to safety concerns.
- Bucharest is the most earthquake-vulnerable capital in the EU and had a deadly earthquake in 1977 that killed over 1,500 people.
- Romania made it illegal in 2024 to rent apartments in high-risk buildings, with fines for violations ranging from €1,000 to €2,000.
- Only some buildings have been inspected, so more unsafe rentals likely exist than those identified.
- Airbnb and Booking.com do not require hosts to prove their buildings are safe, and the platforms say it is the owners’ responsibility.
- Some renters were unaware that staying in these buildings is illegal and only discovered the danger after booking.
- A few hosts on Airbnb rent multiple apartments in high-risk buildings, often marketing them as comfortable or charming despite the risks.
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