The UK government, led by Michael Gove, is introducing plans to empower councils with greater control over the proliferation of Airbnb-style short-term lets.
These changes are part of a long-term plan to prevent a “hollowing out” of communities. To address anti-social behaviour and ensure local people can continue to live in the place they call home. Local people in areas where high numbers of short-term are finding it difficult to find housing they can afford to buy or to rent
The reforms include subjecting short-term lets to the planning process, and establishing a national register. This will give local authorities the information they need about short-term lets in their area, understand the extent of short-term lets in their area, the effects on their communities, and underpin compliance with key health and safety regulations
The key points to this new measure:
- A new national, mandatory registration scheme for short-term lets
- A new use class in planning for short-term lets, and all existing let properties will be automatically reclassified
- Under the reforms councils will be given greater power to control short-term lets by making them subject to the planning process.
- There will be a new permitted development right so properties can move from ordinary residential use to short-term lets without planning
The full government press release: