The House of Commons will today debate a proposal for local authorities to have specific controls over the proliferation of Airbnbs and other short let properties.

Rachael Maskell, Labour MP for York, is introducing a Bill into the Commons calling for the Scottish licensing model to be extended across England, enabling local authorities to set up control zones to limit the expansion of holiday lets where housing is under pressure.

The measure would also give councils new powers to close down short lets that are causing a repeated nuisance to local residents, and returning these homes to mainstream residential use.

Maskell says her initiatives – which differs from that suggested by the government earlier this week – is backed by numerous other MPs who want to protect rural, coastal and urban communities with a common concern about ”villages hollowed out by holiday let investors and second home-owners, and urban streets that are now party streets.”

Although Maskell is highly critical of holiday and second home owners in general, she is particularly upset by short let hosts. 

She writes in the local media in York: “Whether you are unable to rent or buy because property costs are rising as demand exceeds supply, have a son or daughter priced out of the city, or live next-door to an ‘airbnb’ party house, many people in York are being impacted by this unlicensed, unregulated trade. Businesses can’t recruit staff and our NHS and care sectors are suffering as there is nowhere for staff to live.

“This exploitation of housing for personal gain is extracting homes from those who desperately need them. As things stand, unlike B&Bs or hotels, Short Term Holiday Lets are unregulated.

“They don’t need safety certificates or energy efficiency measures, and owners don’t pay council tax as they benefit from Small Business Rate relief. No standards, no contribution, just profit. Everyone searching for a home will also know this is one reason why property prices in York are so ridiculously high.

“On the darker side, we hear anecdotally that in some places these properties harbour criminal activities, from modern slavery to county lines. The lack of accountability is costly.

“I, like so many other MPs that care about homes for their constituents, want to see these properties licensed, fully regulated and making a significant contribution to the community through local taxation.