Are petowners required to pay tourist taxes for pet sitters during their stay in teh Netherlands?
I can’t see why you would.
If for example you invite a friend from Amsterdam to come and stay at your place in Eindhoven, you wouldn’t pay it, so why would you need to pay it if someone else stays in your house? You’re not a commercial hotel or guesthouse.
It’s a good question. In a lot of ways this exchange operates “under the radar.” THS now charges a “booking fee” to sitters – and to homeowners as well for arranging the exchange and demands sitters sign something for international sits attesting to their travel being for touristic purposes. Wouldn’t surprise me a bit if homeowners found themselves running up against this.
I asked because we are also a member of ‘vrienden van de fiets’, which is a program in which members can stay for 1 night for a small amount of money. We only had 3 times a guest this year and now the inspection of the ‘toeristenbelasting’ comes for a control. I was in doubt if i needed to explain the concept of trusted housekeepers, or just ignore it.
In a way it feels as THK is for free, however, it is possible to stay at persons houses, which could be seen as beneficial (in natura).