PETALING JAYA (Jan 19): Owners or operators of residential properties leasing them out for short-term stays on platforms such as AirBnB will have to register with Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL), reported The Star.

DBKL said it was proactively registering and studying the feasibility of short-term leases in various parts of Kuala Lumpur to ensure that owners and operators can rent their properties out legally.

“Short-term rental is widely marketed through websites such as AirBnB, HomeAway, as well as iBilik, and it may cause disturbance to other units and contribute to safety and cleanliness problems.

“The registration programme is done so that the Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM) can conduct studies on the operators who rent out their properties for short-term stays legally and be placed under the supervision of DBKL.

“Failure to register will be considered as an offence, and action will be taken by DBKL,” it said in a statement.

The registration programme has begun and will run throughout the year, with registration open to individuals, agents, or companies involved in short-term stays without limitations on citizenship.

Click here to register for free.