The regulations are not yet fully operational, but the market is already shrinking. New rules for short-term rentals mark a turning point at which investors must decide which operating model they want to pursue going forward. Paweł Jarząbek, an expert at Otodom, examines how supply and prices are reacting in the short-term rental segment in Poland’s largest cities.
The EU STR Regulation (EU 2024/1028), concerning the collection and sharing of data on short-term accommodation rentals, has already entered into force. Poland has not yet adopted national implementing legislation, which means that full enforcement of sanctions, including fines of up to PLN 50,000, will only become possible once the domestic legislative process is completed. However, the rental market is already reacting — and visibly so.
The key conclusions are clear.
The market is responding before the law becomes fully enforceable. The number of active short-term rental listings in Poland fell by 5.8% in April 2026, to around 24,000 offers. In Olsztyn and Białystok, the correction reached 21% and 19%, respectively.
The short-term rental market is heading towards professionalisation. Most of the approximately 65,000 properties operating in this segment belong to private individuals. New formal requirements and the obligation to register in the CWTON system represent a real barrier for them. The market is therefore likely to be left mainly to operators prepared to comply with the new standards.
Long-term rentals may benefit. As many as 53% of tenant searches concern properties built after 2020. A large share of the short-term rental stock consists precisely of new-build apartments. If these units move into the long-term rental market, they are likely to be absorbed quickly.
Otodom data for April this year show that the number of active rental listings in Poland’s seven largest cities fell by 5.8%, to around 24,000 offers. The sharpest corrections were recorded in markets with a strong tourist profile. In the Tricity area, the number of listings dropped by 14%, in Białystok by 19%, and in Olsztyn by 21%. This is no coincidence. Owners are withdrawing listings or holding back from publishing them while they wait to see how the new regulations will be enforced in practice.
It is worth noting that of the estimated 65,000 apartments operating in the short-term rental model in Poland, the vast majority are owned by private individuals — often people with a single property bought with a mortgage or inherited. For them, the new obligations, technical requirements and the need to register in the CWTON system create a genuine entry barrier. As a result, the real estate market can expect this segment to become increasingly professionalised, with mainly those operators who are ready to work under the new standards remaining active.
According to Otodom data, more than half of tenant enquiries, or 53%, concern properties built after 2020, while the phrase “ready to move in” ranks second among the most popular search terms. Why does this matter? A large part of the short-term rental stock consists of new-build apartments. If some owners decide to move their properties into the long-term rental segment, the market should be able to absorb them relatively easily, as they are new, well equipped and closely match tenants’ expectations.
For investors who choose to continue operating in the short-term rental model, monitoring local municipal resolutions will be crucial. From 2029, municipalities will be able to adopt resolutions closing certain districts to short-term rentals. This is a real location-related risk that every investor should already factor into their decision-making. It is also a good moment to calmly calculate both scenarios and decide which rental model — long-term or short-term — they want to operate in going forward.
Source: CEO.com.pl
