In European locations, there has been increasing dissatisfaction with the growth of Airbnb rentals and the disturbance they cause to areas.
In protest of the rental property problem and its propensity to drive up house prices, citizens of cities such as Rome, Florence, and Milan damaged key lock boxes earlier this year.
Citing “public order and safety risks,” the Italian government has now banned the self-check-in system.
This implies that owners of rental houses in Italy, such as those offered by Booking or Airbnb, must now greet visitors in person when they arrive.
On November 18, the prohibition on key boxes and keypads was approved, and it went into force right away.
However, according to Italian media, police and local officials have just recently started to alert property owners and rental sites.
All forms of short-term lodging for tourists, including Airbnb and Booking rentals, are subject to the ban.
According to the Italian interior ministry, the restriction was put in place to “avoid public order and safety risks in relation to the possible accommodation of dangerous individuals or those linked to criminal or terrorist organisations.”
The statement also stated that there is a chance that a property “may be occupied by one or more individuals whose identities remain unknown to the relevant police authorities posing a potential danger to the community” due to automated check-in and entry management that does not visually identify guests.
In reaction to the “intensification of the phenomenon of short-term rentals” brought on by “the numerous political, cultural, and religious events scheduled in the country,” including the 2025 Jubilee celebrations in Rome, the ministry said the ban was put into place.
According to the new rule, guests will no longer be able to check in to properties on their own by using a key code to enter a lock box.
Instead, in order to verify identity documents and manage the check-in processes, rental managers or owners will need to personally meet with guests.
Owners are required to provide police authorities with guests’ personal information and identification documents within 24 hours of check-in.
Rome’s mayor, Roberto Gaultieri, stated that the prohibition was “good news for everyone” and that “the padlocks and boxes that disfigure our streets and prevent adequate security checks” were being eliminated.
He went on to say that he plans to remove all of these gadgets using “appropriate intervention methods.”