Holiday apartment asking for passport up front

[RTFT]

We go away on Saturday and we are staying in an apartment booked though booking.com. They have just emailed directions, entry details etc and have requested copies of our passports for the 'registration form'. I've never been asked for passport details prior to arrival before, have you?

I don’t see why they need a copy of your passport? Unless the law in their country requires this? I wouldn’t provide it unless it’s standard in that particular country.

No I’ve never had that. Copies of passports on arrival are standard though. Which country is it?

Yes I’ve had this. In Greece and I think Italy as well if I remember correctly. Sometimes if you are meeting someone to check into the apartment they are ok with taking a copy on arrival but other times they want it in advance.

On a recent trip to Italy they wanted passport details for everyone but not actual copies. They said it was some kind of regulation they had to abide by.

Lanzarote, been before but never been asked before

No way would I ever give this