Airbnb’s announcement yesterday that it is banning hosts in London from renting out entire homes for more than 90 days a year without official consent has been welcomed by the Residential Landlords Association (RLA).
The move, which will become effective from spring 2017, follows concern that the accommodation website was exacerbating the housing crisis by allowing buy-to-let landlords to rent out homes long-term, thus reducing the volume of properties available in the private rented sector.
The main concern is that some property owners may be using Airbnb as a way of providing long-term accommodation without having to abide by all the regulations, safety and insurance provisions covering the private rented sector.
Research conducted by the RLA earlier this year found that 61% of entire homes and apartments listed on Airbnb in London were advertised as being available for more than 90 days per year.
RLA policy director, David Smith, said: “Whilst we have no problem with websites like Airbnb, all we want is for the laws as they stand to be properly enforced.
“The decision by Airbnb to better police its website is welcome news which will provide greater protection for those using the site and will not allow property owners to try to do long term renting on the cheap.”
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Will this extend to checking the person advertising is the legal owner and not a tenant sub-renting the property?
I've seen Airbnb guests cause untold amounts of damage to rented properties with tenants doing a runner when it goes sour. Airbnb deny any responsibility for not looking into the guests they introduce and are near on nowhere to be seen when it all turns bad. These sorts of "facilitating apps" like airbnb and Uber should be held to account for the service they actually provide instead of what they deem to be their responsibility.
". . . . accommodation website was exacerbating the housing crisis by allowing buy-to-let landlords to rent out homes long-term, thus reducing the volume of properties available in the private rented sector."
But wait the government hate the PRS and try to tax and legislate it into oblivion, now they seem to want us to provide long term accommodation. Better to legislate for B&B to abide by the same rules as landlords.
Government knows that landlords are part of the solution but seem to be vilifying them and pretending that they are the problem. RLA should be supporting landlords in any shape or form not encouraging yet more restrictions.
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