Short-term lets to require planning permission under new rules

Short term lets will require planning permission under a new law, the Government confirmed.

Owners wishing to let out property for under three months will need to apply for permission under the new rules designed to curb the number of AirBnB-style lets.

It comes amid concerns that communities are being ‘hollowed out’, with some residential blocks contain more rooms for rent than some of the capital’s largest hotels, while paying only a fraction of tax.

There are currently around 12,000 properties within Westminster available for short-term lets.

The new legislation would not apply to first homes, which will still be able to be rented out for up to 90 nights per year.

As part of the plans, a new compulsory ‘national register’ will be drawn up to provide councils data on the extent of short-term lets and ensure properties are compliant with health and safety regulations.

Michael Gove, the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities said the changes would ‘strike the balance’ between helping the tourism industry while ensuring the provision of enough affordable homes for local people.

He said: ‘Short term lets can play an important role in the UK’s flourishing tourism economy, providing great, easily accessible accommodation in some of the most beautiful parts of our country.

‘But in some areas, too many local families and young people feel they are being shut out of the housing market and denied the opportunity to rent or buy in their own community.’

Adam Hug, the leader of Westminster City Council, welcomed the move as something the local authority has ‘long campaigned for’ and said the decision would put London on the same footing as other major cities.

Airbnb’s general manager for northern Europe, Amanda Cupples, said: ‘The introduction of the 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.