The Government has launched a review into short-term tourist accommodation with a view to making sure the tourism sector works for both residents and visitors alike.
An open call for evidence over the next 12 weeks aims to understand the impact of an increase in short-term holiday lets in England following the rise in the use of rental booking websites and apps such as Airbnb.
The Government says it understands there can be an impact on housing supply and price in popular tourist areas, as well as increased anti-social behaviour. It’s a common complaint locally here on the Isle of Wight with the perception that there are fewer properties to rent due to homes being used as Airbnbs, which generates much higher revenues for landlords.
Under the Government’s plans, in the future physical checks of premises could be carried out to ensure regulations in areas including health and safety, noise and anti-social behaviour are obeyed.
Further measures the Government is considering include a registration ‘kitemark’ scheme with spot checks for compliance with rules on issues such as gas safety, a self-certification scheme for hosts to register with before they can operate, and better information or a single source of guidance setting out the legal requirements for providers.
Tourism Minister Nigel Huddleston said:
“We’ve seen huge growth in the range of holiday accommodation available over the last few years.
“We want to reap the benefits of the boom in short-term holiday lets while protecting community interests and making sure England has high-quality tourist accommodation.
Article continues below this advertisement “While no decisions have been taken, this review will help us work out the options to look at so we can protect our much-loved communities and thriving holiday industry.”
Housing Minister, Rt. Hon Stuart Andrew, said:
“Holiday let sites like Airbnb have helped boost tourism across the country, but we need to make sure this doesn’t drive residents out of their communities.
“We are already taking action to tackle the issue of second and empty homes in some areas by empowering councils to charge up to double the rate of council tax.
“This review will give us a better understanding of how short term lets are affecting housing supply locally to make sure the tourism sector works for both residents and visitors alike.”
I think they are just thinking of this because they are letting too many hotels be turned into private flats… Not many new hotels being built…??
Be sure to check landlords income, as many that get paid cash, will not declare it, no doubt. Plus this will increase people buying second homes, just for Airnb….. too much greed, less and less care and thought for others.
Just more government hot air. As if they will ever actually do anything.
Could and considering
Well there you go just hotair yet again
It takes the government and council’s 10 minutes to award themselves pay rises but years to do anything else
In the race to the bottom, you’ll be able to live in substandard holiday accommodation rather than something that is actually suitable. Spot on government leadership!
ABOUT TIME, only 5 years too late
I wonder how many properties Boris the retard has.
Check out Rishi “billionaire’s husband” Sunak’s property portfolio
Holiday let’s have destroyed many villages in Cornwall.
Locals are priced out of their local area (and there have been many instances of older locals who do have houses being bullied because their homes aren’t show home quality and put potential renters off).
Local shops and businesses become unviable because the village is empty in the winter and the village loses its heart and soul, essentially becoming a high class holiday camp instead of a living community.
I thought the Isle of Wight, was a place of national beauty, etc…. but now it is just a building site for new homes… losing all our natural beauty and scenery. But years ago if there were no homes or jobs people used to move OFF this Island to mainland and abroad.. NOT dig up GREEN FIELDS, close farms, demolish buildings, just to put up houses that the locals cannot ever afford. Now with this new idea, more and more people from mainland will be buying up Island property, cheap ones first, to turn them into airbnb !!! So the normal; flats , homes etc that are for rent, prices will AGAIN rise, so really no hope of finding a place to live.
They could add to that the properties should be occupied for 9 months of the year and they need to go on a local register if they have more than one property. Just a thought.
And we taxpayers pay millions to keep homeless families in unsuitable hotels, while greedy landlords turn homes into expensive holiday lets (avoiding a lot of tax, I bet). Yes we need government action, for sure. But we also have to look at our own consciences; some things are just wrong, eg ruthless greed, lying, environmental damage…