The Guardian investigation: Tourists are staying in illegal apartments in Bucharest located in buildings with high seismic risk

The investigation by the British from The Guardian shows that, in Bucharest, tourists end up staying in illegal apartments listed on Airbnb and Booking.com, located in buildings with high seismic risk. An analysis by the organization Re:Rise identified 207 illegal properties, capable of accommodating over 1,000 visitors per night.

Bucharest is the most vulnerable capital in the EU to earthquakes, having recorded two major quakes in the last century, the most recent in 1977, resulting in over 1,500 deaths. In 2024, Romania banned rentals in buildings with seismic risk RS1, but many owners continue to rent illegally. Although Airbnb and Booking.com do not require owners to declare the structural condition of the buildings, tourists are not informed about seismic risks.

Re:Rise has started an awareness campaign, putting up stickers on buildings to warn visitors. Local authorities have acknowledged that inspections are only carried out upon complaints, and the city's infrastructure remains vulnerable. A 2022 study estimates that a major earthquake could cause severe damage to approximately 23,000 buildings, with thousands of casualties.