Govt review into holiday lets will 'unlock hosting benefits'
Will PayneThe UK government’s review into short-term holiday lets has been described as an "opportunity to secure clear and modern rules that unlock the benefits of hosting".
This was the message from Airbnb, who also said the move would help clamp down on speculators, while giving local authorities the information to regulate home sharing effectively.
A spokesperson for the company said: "Airbnb recognises the historic housing and tourism challenges facing the UK and we want our platform to be part of the solution. We welcome regulation and have led the way in championing progressive rules for our industry."
The firm said policymaking must acknowledge not all forms of tourism are "created equal" and not all accommodation providers are the same.
"There is a big difference between buy-to-let speculators and hosts who occasionally share their homes on Airbnb to afford the rising cost of living," the spokesperson added.
"People who host in their home represent a category of accommodation providers who differ fundamentally from both property speculators and hotels, and rules should be proportionate to the activity provided."
Meanwhile, Hoseasons and cottages.com parent Awaze UK welcomed the call for evidence, and will contribute where possible.
"Short-term holiday lets have a positive impact on rural economies and the many people, businesses and attractions that depend on year-round tourism," they added.
The UK Short Term Accommodation Association (STAA) – which represents property owners and management companies in the short-term rental sector – said short-term lets play a "vital role" in the English tourism economy.
"The STAA and our members have been calling for the introduction of a national registration scheme for some time as it will provide the first authoritative data source to objectively assess the state of the industry in England," it added.
"This is a necessary step before any targeted policy solutions can be developed. We welcome the opportunity to feed into this call for evidence, but it is crucial that this process takes into account the differences between those short-term rentals that take place in homes that people live in and those that take place in purely investment properties."
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