Airbnb ignores Amsterdam's demand for information

Airbnb will not be sharing information on Amsterdam residents not complying to the city's rules on renting your house to holiday-goers, the rental site said in a blog post. The information Airbnb is giving to the Amsterdam municipality has been made anonymous. "We want to protect the privacy of guests and owners." Amsterdam residents are allowed to rent their homes or rooms in their homes to tourists through sites like Airbnb. But they have to comply to a number of rules, including that the homes may not be rented out for more than 60 days a year and to no more than 4 people. Some 10 thousand Amsterdam addresses are listed on Airbnb. But not everyone adheres to these rules. Through its records Airbnb can easily see who is leasing his house out for more than is allowed. Amsterdam wants that information, but Airbnb is balking. Responsible alderman Laurens Ivens will not comment substantively on the matter, a spokesperson said to ANP. He wants to keep the discussion out of the media and off the internet as much as possible. "We have been talking to each other for two weeks and sharing information is one of the topics", the spokesperson said. "We want a good deal and Airbnb does too. Amsterdam would rather have a good deal than no deal."