The city of Berlin has made it illegal for people living there to let entire homes to tourists through Airbnb and other short-stay renters such as Wimdu and 9Flats.<br /><br /> The crack-down is to protect affordable housing as officials in the German capital say the letting boom has been driving up rents. <br /><br /> In the month before the new law came into effect Airbnb listings in the city fell by 40 percent.<br /><br /> Berliners can still rent out individual rooms in their homes. <br /><br /> If found breaking the law – which goes by the name of ‘Zweckentfremdungsverbot’ – they can be fined up to 100,000 euros. <br /><br /> Berlin's crackdown on Airbnb-style holiday apartment industry could see landlords fined up to €100,000 https://t.co/eyEgnaOdZH— Handelsblatt Global (@HandelsblattGE) May 2, 2016<br /> <br /><br /> Andreas Geisel, Berlin’s head of urban development, said this was “a necessary and sensible instrument against the housing shortage in Berlin.” <br /><br /> He added: “I am absolutely determined to return such misappropriated apartments
