Which then in turn isn't really enforced and the commercial guys running multiple appartments as full time rentals find intricate ways around the rules...

There will always be people that find ways around rules, but if the rules exist and are reasonably well enforced, then that is really what is required. This assumes the rule is reasonable, which does appear to be the case here.

Isn't it like this in many places in Europe now? Barcelona does 60 days and Greece does 90 that I know, as well. Maybe I'm mistaken on Barcelona.

I believe in Berlin it's 6 Months out of the year or something (with caveats attached).

There is no time, but a space limit in Berlin. You can rent out as much as you like if it's less than 50% of the space of your apartment you're actually living.

If it's over 50% or you are not living there at all, you need a permit.

The 90 day limit in Greece is related to how income from the properties is taxed iirc.

Not exactly:

http://www.haniotika-nea.gr/90-meres-to-chrono-i-enikiasi-me...

It's 90 days, 60 days on small islands and you can only go over that limit if you're low-income. Compliance is a different issue, because Greece, but hopefully AirBnB and the other platforms will help police this.

How is that enforced?

The owner of the property must get a permit number from the municipality. Airbnb and other similar sites are obliged to require that permit number and limits the amount of nights per year for Amsterdam properties.

That's a cool way of doing it. I wonder if there is a central database for those number of stays. Otherwise you could feasibly rent it out 30 days on AirBnB and then 30 more days on booking.com and then 30 on other platforms etc

Similarly, in Japan, if any of your neighbours complain to the council and they begin an investigation, it's likely that you'll get pushed off the platform.

>> Of course the Dutch come up with a very fair and reasonable compromise.

Why ? what's different about dutch culture?

I associate the Netherlands with pragmatic and sensible, live and let live kind of policies for things like sex, drugs, traffic, squatting. In my mind it's similar to Denmark. I think it's a common association but I don't know how it would hold up to scrutiny.

I think it might have been a pun relating to the phrase "Going Dutch"