Tourists in Bucharest are staying in illegal accommodation listed on Airbnb and Booking.com in buildings so seismically vulnerable they could collapse in a major earthquake, according to exclusive data shared with the Guardian. Analysis by Re:Rise, a Romanian seismic risk reduction organisation, identified at least 207 illegal tourist rental properties on the two platforms at the end of May, with a combined capacity to host more than 1,000 visitors each night.
Scale of the problem
Booking.com listed 116 of these properties, 47 were on Airbnb, and 44 appeared on both platforms. All were in buildings classified as RS1, the highest seismic risk level. Bucharest is the most seismically vulnerable capital in the EU, having experienced two major earthquakes in the last century. The 1977 quake killed over 1,500 people, injured more than 10,000, and destroyed 32 buildings in under a minute. Experts believe another such earthquake is inevitable and warn that damage could exceed previous disasters because much of the city's building stock has become structurally unsound.
Illegal rentals and enforcement
In 2024, Romania outlawed short- and long-term rentals in RS1 buildings to clamp down on unsafe housing. The capital has at least 404 such buildings where renting is illegal, with fines ranging from €1,000 (£850) to €2,000. However, only a fraction of the city's housing stock has been formally assessed, so the true scale of unsafe accommodation is likely greater. Neither Airbnb nor Booking.com requires hosts to declare structural safety. Matei Sumbasacu, a structural engineer and founder of Re:Rise, said: 'We tried everything possible to alert the platforms about this problem, but they told us it is the responsibility of the owners, not theirs.'
Tourist experiences
Ana Todor, who booked two Airbnb stays in RS1 buildings in 2025, said she felt owners and platforms were 'counting' on guests not scrutinising regulations. 'But when I got there, the building looked terrible from the outside and didn't give me a good feeling,' she said. 'Descriptions that downplay the danger are a Hello Kitty plaster on a deep crack.' Todor was unaware that renting in such buildings was illegal and said she would now factor building condition into booking decisions. 'The more I've learned since, the more my anxiety has grown. Every time I travel to Bucharest now, I don't sleep well at all; I'm always on edge.'
Listings downplay risk
One Airbnb listing, a two-bedroom 'designer condo' in University Square charging about €100 per night for up to six guests, received a review noting the building was 'old and appears sketchy from the outside'. A superhost with 25 listings on Airbnb had at least six in RS1 buildings. Of the confirmed listings, only two disclosed high seismic risk in their descriptions, but both downplayed the danger. One host noted the accommodation 'may appear in older seismic risk classifications', calling it 'common for historic buildings in the city centre' and stating the building is 'regularly inhabited and maintained'. Another listing did not mention risk directly but included a line in Romanian in the host's bio saying the building has a 'dot', without explanation.
Warning signs and platform responses
By law, RS1 buildings must display a red dot above the entrance with a notice in Romanian. For foreign visitors, the warning is effectively invisible. After failing to alert Airbnb and Booking.com, Re:Rise volunteers placed hard-to-remove stickers on key lockboxes outside RS1 buildings with holiday flats, each bearing a QR code linking to a website explaining the seismic risk. Sumbasacu said: 'The state could go directly to the platforms and oblige them to act … The main institution responsible for anyone visiting the city is the city hall. One has to take care of their own yard, but they have always run from that responsibility.' The city hall stated that local police inspect only in response to complaints and that it notified the tourism ministry in January to factor the rental ban into authorisation processes. It added that approximately 3,000 notifications were sent to property owners.
An Airbnb spokesperson said: 'Safety is a priority for Airbnb and we take issues like this seriously. We are currently investigating based on the information available so we can take the appropriate action.' Airbnb also asked the two hosts of Todor's apartments to prove their listings were not in RS1 buildings, threatening delisting if they failed. A Booking.com spokesperson said: 'Our accommodation partners should ensure that they are aware of their obligations and acting in accordance with all local laws, and we have a solid process in place for authorities to report any listings they might have concerns about.'
Broader infrastructure risks
Bucharest had over 2 million visitors in 2025, more than any other Romanian city. However, much of the city's infrastructure—including schools, administrative buildings, theatres, fire stations, and private properties—remains at high seismic risk. Retrofitting after the 1977 earthquake was cut short when communist dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu redirected funds to build the massive Palace of Parliament. Since 1994 retrofitting legislation, only 35 buildings have been reinforced. A 2022 risk assessment by the Bucharest City Committee for Emergency Situations estimated that a major earthquake could severely damage about 23,000 buildings, kill approximately 6,500 people, and leave 16,000 seriously injured.
