Issue No. 16
October 20, 2026
The day's figures on short-term rentals: rates, occupancy, demand, fees, supply and returns.
Briefs from this issue
- Supply
Sydney active Airbnb listings count reaches 10,531 properties
Active Airbnb listings in Sydney reached 10,531 while the city's rental vacancy rate stood at 2.1%, according to data cited by Green Left. Community groups and political organizations are citing the figures to lobby the City of Sydney Council to support stricter laws on short-stay rentals. Opponents point to New York City's Local Law 18, which reduced unregistered short-term rentals from 40,000 to 3,522 over three years.
- Demand
Airbnb offers rain payouts between 50 and 1,000 euros daily
Travelers booking on Airbnb can receive between €50 and €1,000 per day if rainfall exceeds 1.5mm in an hour, according to Airbnb's FAQs. The news outlet Skift reported that Airbnb is selling the weather guarantee insurance product, underwritten by Chubb, as a checkout add-on. Payments are issued automatically based on third-party radar, satellite and forecast data from NOAA, the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts and NASA.
- Supply
Oneonta committee recommends 3.5 percent cap on investment short term rentals
A short-term rental committee in Oneonta has recommended capping investment rentals at 3.5% of the town's total residential housing stock, according to Deputy Supervisor Trish Riddell Kent. U.S. Census data showed 2,286 total housing units in the town, and the committee identified 101 active short-term rentals. A 3.5% cap would limit investment short-term rentals to about 80 properties. The proposal includes eight-year exemptions for new construction.
- Rules & Money
Fresno County proposes 12 percent tax on short term stays
A proposed 12% transient occupancy tax on short-term lodging in unincorporated areas of Fresno County is projected to generate roughly $4.5 million annually, according to county staff. Voters will decide on Measure A during the November election. The tax is charged to customers rather than property owners, and county officials state the extra revenue is needed to offset between $70 million and $300 million in expected revenue losses.
- Rules & Money
Edinburgh refused planning consent for 800 licensed short term lets
A total of 800 licensed short-term lets in Edinburgh have had planning applications refused, according to analysis by Living Rent and Leith Harbour & Newhaven Community Council. Out of 1,754 licensed entire homes in the city as of 6 September, a total of 1,225 properties did not have planning permission because they had not applied or were refused. Unlicensed operators face a fine of up to £2,500 under rules introduced in 2023.
- Rules & Money
York rentals generate 19 million dollars in revenue
Roughly 500 short-term rentals operate daily in York, Maine, generating over $19 million in revenue this year, according to a database built by Deckard Technologies. The database helps code enforcement identify potential safety violations, including advertising sleeping arrangements beyond what regulations allow. Data shows short-term rentals account for less than 1.2% of all calls for service to town departments, while town officials remain undecided on taking future regulatory action.
- Rates
UK holiday let daily rates reached 203 pounds in August
Average daily rates for UK short-term rentals rose 2% year over year in August to £203, following a 4% increase in July to £189 and preceding a 4% increase in September to £140, according to KeyData's 2026 UK Autumn Index. KeyData reported that the rate increases helped operators maintain revenue as occupancy fell 4% in August and 5% in September. Direct bookings accounted for 57% of UK guest check-ins in Q3 2026.
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