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BRUSSELS: European cities will gain more leeway to curb short-term rentals such as Airbnb under plans to bring down housing costs in tourism hotspots that the European Union is to unveil Wednesday.

The European Commission is to lay out conditions under which local authorities can limit short lets, as part of an “affordable housing” package that seeks to address what EU chief Ursula von der Leyen has called a “social crisis”.

“Nurses, teachers, and firemen cannot afford to live where they serve. Students drop out because they cannot pay the rent. Young people delay starting families,” she said in a speech last year highlighting the issue as a priority for Brussels.

Though hugely popular with visitors, short-term lodgings are blamed by residents in many popular travel destinations for depriving locals of apartments for long-term rent and pushing up prices.

From New York to Tokyo and Barcelona, a growing number of cities worldwide have imposed or considered restrictions on tourist flats in recent years.

But curbs have often been followed by court challenges from rental providers and tourism operators, resulting in legal uncertainty.

The commission’s Affordable Housing Act aims to provide cities with legal cover, clarifying when authorities can take action without falling foul of EU single market rules.

Cities and other relevant authorities will be allowed to limit holiday rentals as well as the purchase of property for short-term letting purposes in areas deemed “under housing stress”, according to a draft seen by AFP.

The document laid out a series of parameters that needed to be met for an area to be defined as under stress, such as the ratio between house prices and incomes there.

“Population dynamics” and future housing supply and demand will also need to be taken into account, the draft said, adding any measure should be non-discriminatory, necessary and proportionate.

‘Structural solutions’

The legislation will not affect landlords that rent out their own primary residence for short periods of time.

Housing affordability has become a growing issue across the 27-nation bloc in recent years.

Property prices have surged by 60 percent, while rents have climbed by 20 percent over the past decade, leaving millions struggling to find a home they can afford, according to Brussels.

The EU says this is mainly driven by insufficient housing supply but short-term lets add extra pressure in certain areas.

Short rentals account for only about 1.2 percent of the European Union’s housing stock but the share can reach as much as 20 percent in popular districts of some tourist destinations, according to EU data.

Holiday lets “can generate important economic and social benefits, especially for households struggling to make ends meet” but “they may also aggravate housing demand pressures in some constrained local housing markets,” the EU draft read.

Yet, that’s something rental providers dispute.

“For the great majority of cities, the claim that short-term rentals are driving housing stress does not survive contact with this evidence,” tech lobby group CCIA wrote in a letter to the commission this month.

In some cities with restrictions, rents and hotel prices have gone up, the letter added, noting Lisbon recently overturned some of the curbs it had previously imposed.

“Europe’s housing crisis needs structural solutions, and the implementation of this Act should focus on increasing the supply of homes,” said an Airbnb spokesperson.

EVER watched a TV show or film and wished you could live in the characters’ worlds for a day?

Now, a growing number of iconic TV and film properties are opening their doors to fans to book to stay overnight.

Gavin and Stacey viewers, for example, can book the exact house that was home to Uncle Bryn (played by Rob Brydon) on Airbnb.

Based on the iconic Barry Island in Wales, it is decorated just as it was in Bryn’s ‘bachelor paradise’ during episode three of series three.

It can house six guests across two bedrooms, with two nights in September for three guests setting you back £455.

But it’s not the only filming location you can walk onto. 

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Here are 10 iconic TV and film sets around the world where you can spend the night…

De Vere House (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1)

While it may not be Hogwarts, you can also have a magical stay sleeping at Harry Potter’s birthplace and childhood home in Godric’s Hollow.

Located in medieval Lavenham, the Grade I-listed De Vere House was built in the 14th century and features four-poster beds and traditional stone fireplaces.

You can separately book one of the two ensuite rooms, which have access to a guest sitting room where you can toast marshmallows and crumpets over the fire.

The stay also includes a full English breakfast and fluffy robes – but sadly no flying broomsticks.
You are required to book two nights minimum, which costs from £390.

Yew Tree Farm (Miss Potter)

Experience a slice of history by booking the exact home owned by Beatrix Potter herself in the 1930s.

The Grade II-listed 17th-century Lake District property also doubled as Hill Top Farm in the 2006 Miss Potter movie starring Renée Zellweger and Ewan McGregor. 

The three-bedroom holiday rental comfortably sleeps six and comes with dark oak beams, four-poster beds, and antique furniture that belonged to Beatrix Potter. 

Guests can enjoy the surrounding fells, meet roaming Herdwick sheep, and relax in a private outdoor hot tub on the estate.

You can typically book the property out for around £750 per night.

The Spice Bus (Spice World)

It’s not only bricks and mortar filming locations that you can book. 

Spice Girls fans can have a night in the Union Jack-decorated Spice Bus, which featured in the 1997 pop movie Spice World.

Parked on the Isle of Wight, the original 1978 Bristol double-decker bus is now a cozy retreat that sleeps up to three people from £99 a night.

While it can be booked for nostalgic stays, it could also be the ideal party or hen do backdrop too.

Highclere Castle’s London Lodge (Downton Abbey)

Downton Abbey fans can step into the world of the privileged family by checking into filming location Highclere Castle.

While you can’t sleep in Lord Grantham’s main bedroom, you can stay on the Crawley family’s estate at the restored London Lodge for from £350 a night.

During the day, guests can wander the estate’s rolling parklands and enjoy views of the main castle facade. 

Porthpean House (About Time)

Nestled right above the coastal waters in St Austell, Cornwall, this 19th-century manor served as the beloved family home of Tim (Domhnall Gleeson) and his dad (Bill Nighy) in Richard Curtis’s About Time film. 

Known off-screen as Porthpean House, the 12-bedroom property sleeps up to 21 guests and opens straight out onto rolling lawns that lead down to a secluded beach. 

Guests can spend their time in the grand drawing room complete with a piano, play croquet on the grass, or potter barefoot down to the water just like the Lake family. 

Not only is it available for private family rentals, but also weddings too. 

Lostwithiel Manor (Poldark)

This wildcard rental is The Lostwithiel Manor Estate that sits deep in the Cornish countryside, four miles from Lostwithiel.

It’s a property perfect for a wedding, or special event due to its sprawling size.

Lostwithiel Manor that has been the filming location for so many shows from The Three Musketeers, My Cousin Rachel, Delicious starring Dawn French and of course, Poldark.

One guest said: “Fires and candles lit every morning. Flowers from the garden on the tables. Relaxed, attentive staff with a genuine love of the house and its history.”

The nine-bedroom property has a library, gallery, a drawing room with a working fireplace, and a beautiful garden room.

If you fancy getting married or having a party at a filming hot spot, head to Oliverstravels.

Bella Swan’s House (Twilight)

If you grew up watching Twilight, you will recall the iconic 1930s home used for the interior and exterior filming of Bella and Charlie Swan’s house.

Costing around $450 (£350) per night, the Oregon property has been kept as a homage to the 2008 hit film.

Movie memorabilia and photographs fill every room of the five-bedroom property, and you can even eat at the same dining table where Charlie and Bella shared their meals on screen.

Villanelle’s Art Nouveau Apartment (Killing Eve)

Many Killing Eve fans will recall the striking flat that assassin Villanelle stayed in during the third season of the show. 

Located in Barcelona‘s trendy Gràcia district, it features lofty ceilings and stained-glass details.

Not only can you soak up the stunning architecture in the two bedroom flat, which is around £232 per night, but you also get access to a garden pool.

HAYDEN Panettiere’s on-and-off boyfriend was by her side when the star died – and showed police a “bag of medication”.

Brian Hickerson did not become visibly emotional until EMS declared the 36-year-old actress dead, according to a heavily redacted report released by Greenville Police.

He was at the rented Airbnb apartment in Greenville, South Carolina, where the beloved Nashville and Heroes star was found “unresponsive” on Sunday, according to police bodycam footage that is yet to be released to the public.

Brian showed officers the medication that Hayden was taking at the time of her death, NBC News reported.

His brother, Zach, also witnessed her death, and was “very emotional” as emergency medical services professionals were “working on Hayden.”

Responding officer Matthew Bryan said he first spoke with Zach at the scene.

TOXIC ROMANCE

Hayden Panettiere’s dark relationship with Brian Hickerson before her death

FINAL HOURS

Hayden Panettiere investigation ‘ongoing’ as autopsy shows ‘no signs of trauma’

According to TMZ, Zach actually first discovered Hayden sitting in a chair in the living room when he entered the home on Sunday afternoon.

Brian had been asleep in a separate room at the time, the outlet reported.

Hayden, who struggled with opioid and alcohol addiction, was described by the 911 dispatchers as suffering from a cardiac arrest and suspected overdose.

Narcan, a nasal spray used to reverse the effects of opioid overdoses, was discovered on the mattress of the apartment where she was staying, TMZ reported.

Authorities have not determined that an overdose caused Hayden’s death, and the coroner’s findings remain pending.

An autopsy was completed on Monday, and officials said that “no signs of trauma were discovered that would have contributed to the death.”

First responders initiated cardiac life support measures when they arrived at the scene, but resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful, the statement added.

Hayden’s relationship with Brian was highly volatile, spanning from 2018 until her death, and involved multiple domestic violence arrests, jail time and a rumoured secret reconciliation recently.

The pair began dating in 2018, sparking controversy almost immediately.

Her family and friends were “deeply concerned,” a source told Radar Online in November 2018.

“They do not approve. They are hoping that this is something that she is going to evolve from,” the source said.

The two stayed together, and things went from bad to worse.

Brian was arrested twice – once in 2019 and then in 2020 – for domestic violence.

In May 2019, Brian was arrested for domestic violence after an incident at the actress’ Hollywood home.

Soon after the second incident, Hayden released a statement to her fans about his past arrests.

“I am coming forward with the truth about what happened to me with the hope that my story will empower others in abusive relationships to get the help they need and deserve,” she said.

“I am prepared to do my part to make sure this man never hurts anyone again.

“I’m grateful for my support system, which helped me find the courage to regain my voice and my life.”

Hayden and Brian kept a low profile during the final years of her life. He was spotted attending her brother Jansen’s funeral by her side in 2023.

He was also seen helping her through a Los Angeles airport while she hobbled on crutches in March of this year.

When the actress released her memoir earlier this year, it was reported that they had split long ago.

But according to TMZ, the couple was fully together and hiding the romance.

“Hayden’s team felt Brian was bad for business,” a source told the outlet.

The company advised them to leave the apartment immediately

A couple were forced to flee their Airbnb after they found hidden cameras pointed directly at their bed. Donna and Raymond Nunn had travelled to Madrid, Spain on a “bucket-list” trip to celebrate their 39th wedding anniversary this month.

When they first arrived at the apartment in Lavapies, a central suburb of Madrid, on August 3, 2026 they noticed a motion sensor in the living room pointed towards the front door. There were no flashing lights so they decided to not worry.

The following day while Donna, 62, was out sightseeing Raymond, 87, noticed a camera in the bedroom facing the bed with a green light flashing. The couple reached out to Airbnb for advice and were told to leave the apartment immediately, but it was 8pm so they were forced to stay overnight until they could safely find another place to stay the following day.

Donna and Raymond, who was in the Royal Artillery for 25 years, left in the morning for an apartment two hours south of Madrid. Donna, a pensioner originally from Kent, said: “We live in Spain but we were going to Madrid as a bucket-list trip that we’ve wanted to do for ages and to celebrate our 39th wedding anniversary this month.

“We booked in March and had a typical conversation with the host who planned to meet us there. When we first arrived, the host was nowhere to be found but instructed us via webchat as to how to get into the property.

“When we finally made it inside the apartment, we noticed the camera in the living room as it was facing us as we walked in, but there were no lights on it so we presumed it was off. However we didn’t notice the camera in the bedroom until the next day after we had already slept in the bed.

“I was out sightseeing but my husband is less mobile so stayed at home and he noticed the light in the camera was flickering. The light wasn’t on the day before so I think it was one that can be remotely turned on and off when the host wants. We were extremely frightened by the discovery.

“The camera was about four inches in length and tucked in the corner, but pointed directly towards the bed. It can’t have been there for security reasons. It felt like we were being watched inside what should have been a safe and private space.”

Donna said the couple were terrified and contacted Airbnb straight away on August 4. She said: “We were both shaking when we realised, and reached out to Airbnb. They told us to leave immediately which made us even more worried.

“It was about 8 o’clock at night by that point so it was too late for us to move and we couldn’t find another place close by. Raymond took the camera off the wall and turned it around but it was horrifying. We managed to book another place a couple of hours away, which was nice but meant that we couldn’t finish the sightseeing.

“It’s a shame because we will never go back to Madrid now because of this.”

The couple left the Airbnb on August 5, 2026 just two days after they arrived for the anniversary trip. In 2024, Airbnb introduced a worldwide ban on the use of security cameras inside rental properties following a consultation with guests, hosts and privacy experts.

The rules allow the use of doorbell cameras and noise monitors in common areas, but these have to be disclosed on the property’s listing page. Airbnb have taken the listing off of the website and Donna and Raymond have received a full refund for the trip and the rebooking.

An Airbnb spokesperson said: “We have issued a full refund to the guest and have suspended the listing while we conduct a further investigation into this matter. In 2024, we banned all indoor security cameras in listings regardless of where they are placed, or whether they are deactivated during guest stays. In the rare event of a violation of our policy on security cameras we take appropriate action, which can include removing listings and users from Airbnb.

“Stays reserved through Airbnb are overwhelmingly defined by positive experiences, and we take any reports of issues made to us seriously.”