A scheme to license short-term holiday lets, often known simply as Airbnbs, could be trialled in Brighton and Hove if councillors and officials can persuade the government.
Brighton and Hove City Council has been trying to come up with ways to tackle the problems arising from the boom in Airbnbs.
In particular, politicians and council bosses fear that the thousands of houses and flats being advertised online for visitors are unavailable to rent to local people in need of a home.
A report to councillors said that ministers had been lobbied to bring in a licensing scheme aimed at raising health and safety standards, preventing rubbish dumping and making sure the proper taxes were paid.
The report said: “The government is still developing the online platform which it intends to test with a number of local authorities.”
An early version could be ready this spring or later this year or possibly even early next year.
At the council, officials from the planning team were involved in discussions as were tourism bosses and those responsible for “environmental protection” such as noise problems, rubbish and pollution.
The details are contained the report to the council’s Place Overview and Scrutiny Committee which is due to discuss the subject at Hove Town Hall on Tuesday 24 March.
Last year, the cabinet agreed to look into bringing in stricter planning rules and adding clauses to leases for new homes and conversions to prevent them from being used as short-term lets.
Other ideas included establishing “zones” – similar to those for hotels and bed and breakfasts – with tougher planning rules outside the relevant areas.
Planning chiefs have recently commissioned a “visitor accommodation” study as they work on a new City Plan – or strategic planning blueprint.
Council bosses have found it hard to work out exactly how many homes are used as short-term lets in Brighton and Hove but estimates tend to range from 2,000 to 6,000.
With the tighter regulation of private landlords and shared houses, an increasing number of property owners appear to have switched to advertising their properties on online platforms such as Airbnb.
The Place Overview and Scrutiny Committee is due to meet at Hove Town Hall at 4pm on Tuesday 24 March. The meeting is scheduled for webcast.
Surely should have been done years ago, houses with no smoke alarms or fire doors unlike normal rental houses, we booked a 20 bed one @ £4000 a weekend and asked for a business VAT receipt and nothing forthcoming.
Another cash-grab tax.
Invent it and charge it. That seems to be how BHCC rolls these days.
Read other comments regarding safety, when it’s for trade purposes then safety is mandatory, this type has been under the radar for too long.
“Council bosses have found it hard to work out exactly how many homes are used as short-term lets in Brighton and Hove but estimates tend to range from 2,000 to 6,000.” as a percentage of homes?
A good way to work out some of the numbers of properties would be to contact the local estate agents; since these are managing a lot of them, there’s approximately 200-400 in the Marina. These are businesses, and therefore should be taxed for being used as a business.