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Category: holiday lets
It has been confirmed that Labour are almost ready to introduce a mandatory, nationwide short-term let registration scheme, following the same path set by the preceding Conservative government.
The forthcoming scheme is set to be compounded by tougher planning regulations which may affect landlords with Airbnbs and other kinds of holiday let properties.
A repackaged Conservative plan
According to a source within the Housing Ministry in communication with The Telegraph, Labour plan to introduce the registration scheme in very short order.
While the Conservatives were in power, housing secretary Michael Gove had pledged that all holiday let properties would require planning permission among other regulatory reforms. The idea of a national register of all short-let landlords was also originally proposed by Gove.
Only now, two months after the Conservatives were forced to pass the baton over to Labour, are these plans set to be implemented on a national scale.
Welsh and Northern Irish councils may experience déjà vu as they already have similar registers for holiday lets, though in Wales, the ‘Article 4 Direction’ also covers second home ownership.
What is the purpose of the scheme?
The Labour government’s stated goal in introducing this registration scheme is to increase the power of local councils so that they have greater control of short-term let properties advertised in their areas.
The prevalence of Airbnbs in towns and cities with high levels of tourism has raised concerns among local citizens of those areas. This seems to be one of the driving factors in the desire for councils to have more oversight.
Some experts, including a Conservative MSP and the chief executive of the Short Term Accommodation Association (STAA), are concerned that a large-scale registration scheme could result in holiday let landlords experiencing high licencing costs.
There is some precedent for licencing costs becoming problematic. Scottish councils trialled similar schemes, resulting in many businesses having their revenue negatively impacted and, in some cases, the premature closure of properties.
The STAA spokesman hopes that the registration scheme will be more than “a poorly done licensing scheme.”
We will keep you up to date on how Labour’s registration scheme may affect Airbnb owners and other holiday let landlords.
