Britons hoping to enjoy a UK staycation may find there are fewer Airbnbs and home rentals available as the Government announces a crackdown on letting for short periods.
Short-term lets are usually offered to the market for six months or less and can contribute to flourishing tourism. However, they run the risk of adversely impacting locals who struggle to find housing, which is why the rules are changing.
New reforms to planning rules will mean that "local residents will be protected from being pushed out of their communities by excessive short-term lets".
"Under the reforms, councils will be given greater power to control short-term lets by making them subject to the planning process," the Government states.
Holiday homes are rampant in popular tourist destination Devon
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"This will support local people in areas where high numbers of short-term lets are preventing them from finding housing they can afford to buy or to rent."
This change is part of a "long-term plan" which aims to "prevent a 'hollowing out' of communities, address anti-social behaviour, and ensure local people can continue to live in the place they call home".
While the crackdown on short-term lets is set to benefit local communities, one travel expert observed that it may make things harder for British tourists trying to book an Airbnb or home rental.
Travel expert and founder of travel blog Journey Era Jackson Groves told GB News: "The new planning permission requirement will allow councils to moderate short-term rental growth based on local housing needs.
"According to the Government's announcement, the rules aim to give communities greater control and prevent hollowing out from excessive tourism rentals.
"This implies that popular destinations facing housing unaffordability issues like London, Oxford, Cambridge, Edinburgh, and Bath are likely to exercise tighter future short-term rental restrictions.
"For tourists, this could mean fewer brand-new Airbnbs and entire-home rentals becoming available in these already supply-constrained cities."
But it's not all bad news for tourists, according to the expert. He said: "The 90-night allowance will still allow some hosting, providing accommodation options for visitors. Additionally, existing short-term lets will be automatically reclassified into a new use class, essentially grandfathering them in."
While the availability of new full-home rentals may tighten in regulated cities, short-term room rentals and home shares will likely persist due to the 90-day allowance.
The commercial director of holiday letting specialists Classic Cottages Dan Harrison told GB News that the new rules might make British tourists safer.
He said: "The registration scheme will ensure that all short-term let accommodations meet necessary requirements and follow established rules and regulations. This can only help maintain a higher quality and safety standard for guests. This is on the basis that the registration scheme requires a valid registration number for it to be listed as a short-term let.
"If the registration scheme is mandatory for all accommodation types, we can only see this as a positive step forward for those who enjoy domestic travel in the UK. It will give guests confidence that their accommodation is safe and meets industry standards."
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Wales is another popular tourist spot brimming with holiday homes
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Tourism Minister Julia Lopez commented on the changes being made.
She said: “Short-term lets provide flexibility for homeowners and give tourists more accommodation options than ever before, but this should not prevent local people from being able to buy or rent homes in their area.
“The Government is committed to getting the balance right to ensure both local people and our visitor economy can thrive.”
Levelling up, Housing and Communities Secretary Michael Gove said: “We know short-term lets can be helpful for the tourist economy, but we are now giving councils the tools to bring them under control so that local people can rent those homes as well.
“These changes strike a balance between giving local people access to more affordable housing, while ensuring the visitor economy continues to flourish.”
General manager for Northern Europe, Airbnb Amanda Cupples added: “The introduction of a short-term lets register is good news for everyone.
“Families who host on Airbnb will benefit from clear rules that support their activity, and local authorities will get access to the information they need to assess and manage housing impacts and keep communities healthy, where necessary.
“We have long led calls for the introduction of a host register and we look forward to working together to make it a success.”
GOV.UK said: "Further details of these measures will be set out in the Government’s response to the consultations, including the timeline for implementation of the register, the use class and the individual permitted development rights - with the changes being introduced from this summer."
Britons who wish to find out more about the changes made to short-term let rules should consult GOV.UK.
