From 20 May 2026, Regulation (EU) 2024/1028 is in force: what changes for landlords
If you rent rooms or apartments to university students through a digital platform, from 20 May 2026 you are subject to new regulatory obligations across the entire European Union. Regulation (EU) 2024/1028 — adopted on 11 April 2024 — is directly applicable in all 27 member states without any national transposition required. The same rules apply today in Milan, Rome, Barcelona and Paris.
This guide explains what the regulation requires, who it applies to, what concrete obligations it introduces and how a specialised platform handles compliance structurally for landlords renting to students.
What Regulation (EU) 2024/1028 is and why it exists
The regulation was created to resolve a structural problem that had persisted for years: digital platforms were collecting detailed data on every booking but not sharing it with public authorities. Local governments had no visibility into how many residential properties were being used for short-term rentals. Tax authorities could not cross-reference booking data against income declarations. Those operating irregularly did so with no realistic risk of being checked.
The scale of the market explains the urgency: in 2025, according to Eurostat, nights booked through online platforms in short-term accommodation across the European Union came close to one billion — 951.6 million nights, up 11.4% from 2024 and 32% from 2023. A market of this size, lacking uniform tracking mechanisms, represented a regulatory and fiscal gap that could not remain open.
The regulation's objective is not to restrict rentals: there is no European cap on the number of nights or months that can be let. The purpose is to make the sector transparent and traceable, giving local authorities the tools to monitor it effectively.
One important clarification for landlords: the regulation is directly applicable. There is no national transposition phase to wait for. From 20 May 2026, the obligations are active.
Who falls within the scope of the regulation
The regulation applies to anyone who rents rooms or entire apartments for periods of less than one year through online platforms, whether in a professional or occasional capacity. A single private landlord renting a room to an Erasmus student for five months through a digital platform falls within the regulatory scope.
Those covered include:
- Private individuals with one or more rooms listed on digital platforms
- Small landlords with 2–10 properties let to students
- Property agencies and student housing managers using OTAs or marketplaces
- Anyone using digital platforms to intermediate a rental
The concrete obligations: what landlords must do
1. Registration and unique identification code
Before publishing a listing on any platform, the landlord must register with the competent authority in the member state where the property is located and obtain a unique registration code. Each EU member state is implementing its own registration system in line with the regulation.
In Italy, the relevant codes are: the CIN (Codice Identificativo Nazionale), linked to the Ministry of Tourism's national database, and the CIR (Codice Identificativo di Riferimento), already required in Lombardy and other Italian regions. Other EU member states are rolling out equivalent national registration systems.
The code must appear on every listing published online. Any material change to the property must be communicated within 24 hours.
From 20 May 2026, obligations are active across all 27 EU member states. There is no national transposition phase to wait for.
2. Automatic verification by platforms
From 20 May 2026, platforms are required to verify the registration code against public registers and conduct sample checks. Listings without a valid registration code are removed automatically.
3. Monthly data transmission to authorities
Platforms transmit data monthly (quarterly for smaller platforms) to the national Single Digital Entry Point (SDEP) — known in Italy as PIDU (Punto di Ingresso Digitale Unico) — for every booking:
| Data transmitted | Details |
|---|---|
| Nights sold | Number per unit in the period |
| Number of guests | Per individual booking |
| Listing URL | Direct link to the published listing |
| Full property address | Of the rented accommodation |
| Unique registration code | Of the rented accommodation |
This data is cross-referenced against tax returns and local authority databases.
4. The keybox issue: important in major cities
In Italy, a Ministry of Interior circular (November 2024) clarified that guest identification must occur in person or through equivalent certified biometric recognition systems. A standard keybox installed outside the building, on its own, does not satisfy this requirement. Landlords letting to students on monthly stays should either organise a supervised check-in or adopt a certified digital identification solution. Landlords in other EU member states should verify their national implementation requirements, as similar provisions may apply.
Renting through a digital platform: the practical implications
For those renting through a digital platform — including landlords letting to Erasmus students, students relocating for their studies, or interns — the four most concrete consequences are:
- 1Registration code obligation is active now. If you do not yet have your national registration code, obtaining it is the immediate first step. Platforms remove non-compliant listings without notice.
- 2Booking data is shared with tax authorities. Nights let, amounts, guests: all of this flows to the national SDEP and is cross-referenced against tax returns. Monthly transmission by platforms will make this data available for pre-filling annual tax declarations. Landlords who have never declared rental income are not simply exposed to a tax inspection — they are exposed to an automatic audit.
- 3General-purpose platforms are subject to stricter controls. All digital platforms must meet the same obligations. Those operating informally have increasingly limited room to do so.
- 4Short-term student tenancy contracts remain the correct instrument — and retain a separate regulatory framework from tourist rentals. This means that rules on contract duration, regulated rent agreements and Italy's flat-rate tax scheme at 10% are unchanged. What changes is the obligation on the platform that intermediates: if it operates digitally, it must transmit data to the SDEP exactly as tourist platforms do. For landlords renting to students through ESH, this requires no additional action — compliance is handled by the platform.
Summary: key deadlines
| Deadline | Action Required |
|---|---|
| **Immediately** | Verify you have a valid registration code and that it appears on all your listings |
| **20 May 2026** | EU operational obligations fully active: platforms begin verification and data transmission |
| **Within 24 hours** of any material change | Update the property's registration data |
| **Monthly** | Platforms transmit booking data to the national SDEP |
Conclusion
Regulation (EU) 2024/1028 introduces no prohibitions — it introduces transparency. For landlords renting to university students in the correct way — with registered contracts, a valid registration code and declared income — the new rules change the control tools available to authorities, not the substance of the activity itself.
Those who are not compliant have less room to operate than before. Those who are compliant and choose a platform built for this market face no significant operational impact.
ESH was built in 2025 by former Erasmus students, headquartered in Rome with operational presence in Madrid, to serve exactly this market: verified students, correct contracts, payments guaranteed through Stripe, zero commission for the host. Compliant by design with the obligations of Regulation (EU) 2024/1028.
Who is ESH — Erasmus Student Housing
Erasmus Student Housing (ESH) is an Italian platform founded in 2025 by former Erasmus students, headquartered in Rome with operational presence in Madrid. Dedicated exclusively to rentals for university students in international mobility — Erasmus+, master's degrees, internships. As of May 2026: 1,364+ registered students, 126+ active hosts, listings physically verified across 8 European cities. Payments processed via Stripe, held until student-confirmed check-in. Zero commission for hosts.
FAQ — Frequently asked questions
- Does Regulation (EU) 2024/1028 apply to student rentals, not just tourist accommodation? Yes. The regulation applies to any tenancy of less than one year intermediated through a digital platform, regardless of the purpose of the stay. Short-term student tenancy contracts are not excluded if the booking is made through an online platform.
- I already have my registration code — do I need to do anything else to be compliant from 20 May 2026? The registration code is the basic requirement. You also need to verify that the code appears correctly on all your published listings and that the platforms you use are equipped for monthly data transmission to the national SDEP. Check the status of your listings on every platform you use.
- Can I still use a keybox for handing over keys to students? In Italy, the Ministry of Interior's November 2024 circular requires guest identification to occur in person. An external keybox alone is not sufficient. For monthly stays such as Erasmus periods, organise a supervised check-in or adopt certified biometric verification systems. Landlords in other EU countries should verify their national implementation requirements.
- What happens if I publish listings without a valid registration code after 20 May 2026? Platforms are required to remove listings without a valid registration code automatically. Applicable sanctions include administrative penalties, tax irregularities and violations of local public safety regulations. The risk is cumulative.
- Is ESH free for landlords? Yes. Registration, listing publication and request management are completely free for hosts. ESH applies a booking fee exclusively to the student at the time of booking. Zero commission for the host — unlike the main platforms in this sector.
