Navigating the Legal Landscape: Short-Term Rental Accommodations in Malaysia and the Path Forward

Short-Term Rental Accommodation (‘STRA’) encircling activities such as operating short-term rentals and listing owner-occupied accommodations on network media, for example, Airbnb, Agoda, iBilik and Booking.com have raised numerous legal concerns in Malaysia. These include licensing, business registration, security issues, and neighbourhood disturbances. Presently, there is a notable absence of devoted legislation addressing the control of STRA, particularly within the context of Airbnb in Malaysia. This study applies qualitative methods, primarily library research through document analysis, focusing on relevant legislation and case laws in Malaysia and some selected countries. It is imperative to advocate for the establishment of specific legislation to regulate STRA in Malaysia to ensure the protection and welfare of homeowners, tourists, and the public in general and subsequently to achieve Goal 11 of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (‘SDGs’), which is to make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.