Airbnb is Backing Sadiq Khan’s Call for Short-Term Lets Register

With almost 1 in every 40 properties listed on Airbnb, the holiday lettings website has continued to grow since it started in San Francisco in 2008.

However, whilst this growth means huge potential for hosts in particular, such huge growth in the short-term lets sector can pose problems too.

Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London, says: “Short-term lets are a benefit to visitors to London, and to Londoners themselves who want to earn a little extra money. But these benefits must be balanced with the need to protect long-term rented housing, and to make sure neighbours aren’t impacted by a high turnover of visitors. It is now time for the Government to work with us to develop a registration system of short-term lets, so local councils can make sure we get this balance right.”

Karen Buck, Labour MP for Westminster North, said: “I strongly welcome the Mayor’s initiative, coming on the day I am setting up an All-Party Parliamentary Group on the short-term let sector, to look at how we balance the competing interests involved. The accommodation ‘sharing economy’ brings many benefits but the law is open to abuse, leaving councils unable to enforce effectively and struggling to manage the impact of short lets on residential communities. Knowing who is actually letting out their properties helps get the balance right.”

Hadi Moussa, Airbnb Country Manager for the UK and Northern Europe, comments: “Airbnb is built on the principle of making communities stronger and we are proud to lead our industry on working with policymakers to secure smart rules that work for everyone.

“A clear and simple registration system that applies to hosts on all platforms is good news for hosts and will help authorities get the information they need to regulate our industry effectively. We want to continue working together with leaders in the UK and across the world to ensure that the sustainable growth of home sharing is good news for everyone.”

A press release from Airbnb said: “The UK has been a world leader in regulating the sharing economy and London is a top destination for guests from across the world. From July 2017 to July 2018, more than 2 million guests have stayed at listings on Airbnb in the capital, generating £1.3 billion for the economy and encouraging visitors to explore and stay in all parts of the city.

“Our platform is built on the principle of making communities stronger. We are proud of the responsible role hosts and guests on Airbnb have played in London and are pleased to continue leading our industry on working with policymakers to ensure rules are applied equally to everyone. We want to continue working together with leaders in the UK and across the world to ensure that the sustainable growth of home sharing is good news for everyone.”

For more reading and information on short-term lets, check out our article on What Makes the Best Airbnb Investment!