Revealed: Bucharest tourists rent rentals that could collapse in an earthquake | Romania

In the Romanian capital, Bucharest, tourists are staying in illegal accommodation listed on Airbnb and Booking.com, in buildings considered so seismically vulnerable that they could collapse in the event of a major quake, according to exclusive data shared with The Guardian.

Analysis of data collected by Re:Rise, a Romanian organization working to reduce earthquake risks, identified at least 207 illegal tourist rental properties advertised across the two platforms in Bucharest at the end of May, with a combined capacity to host more than 1,000 visitors each night.

Tourists and locals at an outdoor café in central Bucharest. Photography: Christy Croitoro/Alamy

Booking.com listed 116 of them, 47 of which were on Airbnb, and 44 were listed on both platforms. They were all in buildings that qualified for the highest level of seismic risk.

Bucharest is the most earthquake-prone capital in the European Union, as it witnessed two major earthquakes in the past century, the most recent of which was in 1977, which killed more than 1,500 people, injured more than 10,000 others, and demolished 32 buildings in less than a minute.

Rescue workers sift through rubble in Bucharest in 1977 after a strong earthquake in the Balkans. Photo: Pittman Archive/Getty Images

Experts believe another earthquake is inevitable, warning that the damage could far exceed that of previous disasters because many of the city’s buildings have become structurally unsound in recent decades.

In a bid to clamp down on unsafe housing in 2024, Romania has banned short- and long-term rentals in high-risk buildings, classified as RS1. As a result, the capital has at least 404 such buildings where renting of any kind is illegal, with fines for violations ranging from €1,000 (£850) to €2,000.

Since only a small portion of the city’s housing stock has been officially assessed for risk, experts believe the true scale of unsafe housing is probably greater.

Map of buildings at risk in Bucharest

However, these risks are rarely made clear to tourists booking accommodation. Neither Airbnb nor Booking.com require hosts to declare whether their properties are structurally sound.

“We did our best to alert the platforms about this issue, but they told us it was the owners’ responsibility, not theirs,” said Mati Sompasako, a structural engineer and founder of Re:Rise.

Anna Tudor, who booked two Airbnb stays at apartments in RS1 buildings in 2025, said she felt owners and platforms were “counting” on the fact that guests would not scrutinize rules and regulations closely.

“But when I got there, the building looked terrible from the outside and it didn’t give me a good feeling,” Tudor said. “Descriptions that downplay the danger are like a Hello Kitty plaster over a deep crack.”

Tudor says she was not aware that renting such premises was illegal, and says she will now take into account the condition and location of the building when making any booking decision. “The more I’ve learned since then, the more anxious I get. Every time I travel to Bucharest now, I don’t sleep well at all; I’m always on edge.”

High seismic risk apartments in the center of Bucharest. Photograph: Daniel Mihailescu/AFP/Getty Images

One listing found by The Guardian and Re:Rise on Airbnb, a two-bedroom “designer apartment” in University Square in the city centre, costs around €100 per night and sleeps up to six guests. A review by a family who stayed there last October noted that the building was “old and looks indistinct from the outside.”

One Superhost on Airbnb has 25 properties on the platform, at least six of which are in buildings considered to have the highest seismic risks, according to the analysis. The apartment this person is hosting in the RS1 building in the Roman Square is described as a combination of “classic charm with modern comforts, ideal for both business and leisure stays.”

The true number of tourist rentals in RS1 buildings is likely higher, as only those where addresses can be confirmed are included. Of the confirmed listings, only two revealed in their description that they were located in a building at risk of earthquakes. But even they sought to downplay the seriousness of this danger.

In one, the host notes that the accommodations “may show up in outdated earthquake risk ratings,” adding that this is “common for historic downtown buildings” and that the building is “occupied and regularly maintained.”

Skip Previous Newsletter Promotion, Free Newsletter | every day

Sign up for European addresses

A summary of the morning headlines from the European edition is emailed directly to you every weekday

After promoting the newsletter

Construction of a new residential building in Bucharest in 2025. Photo: Sergei Zmurczak/Alamy

Another listing doesn’t mention the risk directly, but in the host’s English bio, there is one line in Romanian that says the building the apartment is in has a “point”, without explaining what that means.

By law, RS1 buildings must display a red dot above the entrance bearing a notice in Romanian that the building has been assessed and classified as seismic risk category 1. Campaigners say that for the vast majority of foreign visitors, the warning is virtually invisible if they do not read Romanian.

After trying to warn Airbnb and Booking.com about risky listings, Re:Rise eventually took matters into its own hands. Volunteers began pasting hard-to-remove stickers on the main lockboxes installed outside RS1 buildings with holiday apartments, each printed with a QR code that linked to a website where tourists could read about the seismic risks of the properties they were about to access.

Earthquakes are monitored in real time at the National Institute of Geophysics in Mogorelle. Photograph: Daniel Mihailescu/AFP/Getty Images

“The state can go directly to the platforms and force them to move,” Sambasaco said. “The main institution responsible for anyone visiting the city is the city council.” “One must take care of one’s own yard, but one always escapes this responsibility.”

The city council said local police only conducted inspections in response to complaints, and that it notified the Tourism Ministry in January to include the law banning rentals on RS1 buildings in the licensing process.

The statement added: “An information campaign was organized for apartment owners and building owners whose properties fall within the list of buildings classified as seismic risk category RS1. About 3,000 notifications were sent.”

An Airbnb spokesperson said: “Safety is a priority for Airbnb and we take issues like this very seriously. We are currently investigating based on available information so we can take appropriate action.”

A Booking.com spokesperson said: “Our accommodation partners must ensure they are aware of their obligations and act in accordance with all local laws, and we have a robust process in place for authorities to report any listings they may have concerns about.”

Mati Sompasako, founder of Re:Rise, in front of a building being strengthened against earthquakes. Photograph: Daniel Mihailescu/AFP/Getty Images

Bucharest welcomed more than two million visitors in 2025, more than any other city in the country, according to Romania’s National Institute of Statistics.

However, much of the city’s infrastructure—including some schools, office buildings, theaters, and fire stations, as well as private property—remains at high risk of earthquakes. Retrofitting work following the 1977 earthquake was halted when communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu redirected funds to build the massive People’s Assembly, now the Palace of the Romanian Parliament. Since retrofit legislation was passed in 1994, only 35 buildings have been retrofitted.

A 2022 risk assessment conducted by the Bucharest City Committee for Emergency Situations estimated that a major earthquake could seriously damage some 23,000 buildings across the city, killing nearly 6,500 people and leaving another 16,000 seriously injured.

What Are The Main Benefits Of Comparing Car Insurance Quotes Online

LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / June 24, 2020, / Compare-autoinsurance.Org has launched a new blog post that presents the main benefits of comparing multiple car insurance quotes. For more info and free online quotes, please visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/the-advantages-of-comparing-prices-with-car-insurance-quotes-online/ The modern society has numerous technological advantages. One important advantage is the speed at which information is sent and received. With the help of the internet, the shopping habits of many persons have drastically changed. The car insurance industry hasn't remained untouched by these changes. On the internet, drivers can compare insurance prices and find out which sellers have the best offers. View photos The advantages of comparing online car insurance quotes are the following: Online quotes can be obtained from anywhere and at any time. Unlike physical insurance agencies, websites don't have a specific schedule and they are available at any time. Drivers that have busy working schedules, can compare quotes from anywhere and at any time, even at midnight. Multiple choices. Almost all insurance providers, no matter if they are well-known brands or just local insurers, have an online presence. Online quotes will allow policyholders the chance to discover multiple insurance companies and check their prices. Drivers are no longer required to get quotes from just a few known insurance companies. Also, local and regional insurers can provide lower insurance rates for the same services. Accurate insurance estimates. Online quotes can only be accurate if the customers provide accurate and real info about their car models and driving history. Lying about past driving incidents can make the price estimates to be lower, but when dealing with an insurance company lying to them is useless. Usually, insurance companies will do research about a potential customer before granting him coverage. Online quotes can be sorted easily. Although drivers are recommended to not choose a policy just based on its price, drivers can easily sort quotes by insurance price. Using brokerage websites will allow drivers to get quotes from multiple insurers, thus making the comparison faster and easier. For additional info, money-saving tips, and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ Compare-autoinsurance.Org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc. "Online quotes can easily help drivers obtain better car insurance deals. All they have to do is to complete an online form with accurate and real info, then compare prices", said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company. CONTACT: Company Name: Internet Marketing CompanyPerson for contact Name: Gurgu CPhone Number: (818) 359-3898Email: [email protected]: https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ SOURCE: Compare-autoinsurance.Org View source version on accesswire.Com:https://www.Accesswire.Com/595055/What-Are-The-Main-Benefits-Of-Comparing-Car-Insurance-Quotes-Online View photos