Airbnb has reached an agreement with the Italian tax authorities, in which it will pay 576 million euros and will start paying the “dry tax” on rentals from 2024.

Short-term rental company Airbnb He communicated They announced on Wednesday that they had reached an agreement with the Revenue Agency to pay the so-called “dry tax” of 21 percent, the alternative tax due on those who rent a property, and in some cases also for short-term rentals. The agreement stipulates that the company will pay fines and arrears totaling 576 million euros, in relation to the tax it had to pay on behalf of its clients in the years between 2017 and 2021: an investigation conducted by the Guardia di Finanza at the beginning of November had led to the confiscation of 779 million euros. The company said it would not seek refunds from customers.

An agreement has not yet been reached on the tax due for the years 2022 and 2023, while from 2024 the company undertakes to pay it from time to time, and acts as a “withholding agent”: that is, from the amount paid by renters when paying to Airbnb, the company will withhold the amount due. to the tax authorities and pay it on behalf of customers who have made accommodation available through the platform, who will ultimately receive the net amount of tax. After years of litigation with the Revenue Agency and after some rulings from the Administrative Tribunals (TAR), Airbnb has decided to comply with the 2017 Italian law, according to which platforms must pay the flat rate tax on behalf of those who rent.

Airbnb declined to do so, arguing that it would be necessary to verify rental activities on a case-by-case basis, to understand whether these were part of a business and whether those who had listed the home were for sale. The rent was subject to the ‘dry tax rate’. However, only private landlords can join the scheme, those who rent professionally through a company cannot.

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