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TODAY'S OTHER NEWS

Airbnb short lets may require planning consent - government source

The government is considering forcing landlords who rent out homes as Airbnb-style short lets to apply for planning consent.

This would not be applied retrospectively nor to long term lettings, but existing landlords with ASTs switching to short lets would require consent if the proposals were agreed.

A decision is likely ahead of the Conservative party conference next month.

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Over the weekend the Daily Mail, quoting unnamed government sources, said this was one of three measures being considered by Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick to assist local housing markets.

The others were to give councils the powers to ban new-build homes being sold as holiday properties, and to increase the proportion of new builds designated as ‘affordable’.

Currently councils can only ban new-build sold as second homes in the local plans have been backed in a community referendum.

The Mail reports that the source insists that while ministers are “not anti-second homes” but feel there is a need to tackle issues in areas where “high levels of second home ownership are blamed for pricing local people out of the housing market.”

You can see the Mail story here.

Critics of Airbnb and other short lets are becoming increasingly vocal. The Scottish Government is already promoting the idea of strict controls on Airbnb and other short lets - including possibly requiring planning consent and licensing.

Meanwhile in Cornwall, politicians of both major parties have voiced concern over former council houses being used as Airbnb and other short lets in a part of the UK with a major housing shortage.

Want to comment on this story? If so...if any post is considered to victimise, harass, degrade or intimidate an individual or group of individuals on any basis, then the post may be deleted and the individual immediately banned from posting in future.

  • George Dawes

    Good idea , they're a menace

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    George Dawes... I've got 2 Airbnbs that are doing quite nicely thank you. They used to be let out as residential lets but goverment rules and regs and unfair taxes made Airbnb the obvious choice... I'm making Much more profit than I would have done letting them out to people who don't look after them, don't pay the rent and leave the place filthy and whine about their rights, backed up by the government. I got off my posterior and worked hard to build my business and I'll run it my way. People like you are the menace.... Not the hard working landlords who provide the homes that the local authorities have failed to provide.

     
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    Shane

    Try living in Edinburgh near these "party flats"!

    I have one short term let property which I changed to a full time furnished holiday let because of the tax and council tax advantages.

    It's not too much to ask that I play on a level playing field with hotels etc. and ensure neighbours are not subjected to constant nuisance from unregulated short term renters.

     
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    Agreed Shane Sutherland. Gov should concentrate on making incentives for us to continue with AST rather making AirBNB difficult. I’m about to convert one due to Gov position and various groups Shelter/GR/Acorn making the business of me putting a roof over other peoples heads difficult

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    Jahan

    There are too many amateurs running unregulated airbnb properties. It needs to be regulated as much as other hospitality businesses to safeguard both renters and neighbours.

    The £7.5k tax free income needs abolished now normal landlords no longer get tax relief on btl mortgages.

    Providing long term homes to renters should attract more tax advantages than providing holiday accommodation that undercuts professional hospitality businesses.

     
  • George Dawes

    people like me ? I’ve been letting out flats and shops in prime central London for over 20 years , 🤦‍♀️

    Air bnb in my experience attracts scum who have zero consideration for existing neighbours, make lots of noise and mess then leave behind carnage

    Personally if I was forced into turning my properties to air bnb I’d just sell up , don’t need the hassle thx

    Ymmv

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    Finally the government is going after rogue landlords and not all of them!! They must be targeted and finned massively since they undercut decent landlords for abnormal profits and cause a massive nuissance.

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