Two Airbnb Hosts Fined in Singapore

A Singapore court fined two Airbnb hosts a total of $45,800 each on Tuesday for unauthorized short-term letting in the first such case under the city-state's rules on short-term property rentals introduced last year. The two men had pleaded guilty to letting four flats in a condominium for less than six months without permission from the Urban Redevelopment Authority. Judge Kenneth Choo on Tuesday fined the two hosts $11,500 per charge each. He said the fines would serve as a signal to deter others from pursuing such business to make a quick profit, Reuters reported.  Private homes in Singapore are subject to a minimum rental period of three consecutive months, while for public housing, home to about 80% of Singapore's residents, it is six months. URA has said it would conduct a public consultation to seek feedback on a proposed regulatory framework for short-term letting. Wong Soo Chih, the two hosts' lawyer, said they paid their fines on the spot. Airbnb did not have an immediate comment.