Currently, there are no controls on Airbnb in England. Government has two consultations that offer some hope of regulating Airbnb in England. This is your chance to respond.   

Please support our campaign to keep up the pressure on Government to deliver change and Stop Airbnb Sucking Homes Out Of Use

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The TWO Government Consultations CLOSED 7th JUNE

Consultation 1: New planning Use Class for Airbnbs or short lets 

This would require owners to apply for a change of use if they wish to turn a home into a holiday let. 

You can respond to the Consultation here. 

But before you do, you may wish to consider:

This isn't about stopping people renting out a room or renting their home for a few weeks while they are on holiday if they wish. It is about stopping homes being bought by absent investors and turned into holiday lets or Airbnb party flats etc. This is happening just as much in central London and central Manchester as it is in Devon, Cornwall and the Lake District. Communities are hollowed out, schools close, year-round local services and even shops disappear. Local people on average wages are priced out as both property prices and long-term residential rents shoot up out of reach.

The Consultation is also about making this new Planning Use Class for short lets a 'Permitted Development Right' - this would be a disaster and it's striking that a Government talking about communities taking back control instead suggests that this might be something that is an automatic 'right' for property owners - so remember to say 'No' to THAT suggestion..

There's a guide to some of the issues that you might want to cover in responding to the Planning Use Class For Short Lets Consultation in a pdf here We developed it with local housing campaigners and it links to examples - its also includes a quick email link [email protected]

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Consultation 2 - On a Registration Scheme for Airbnbs or short lets

You can respond to the Consultation here. 

Currently Airbnb-type short lets are the biggest unregulated business in the UK, making billions in income for investors and for Airbnb and the rental platforms, yet:

- local councils and government don't even know how many there are.

- they aren't checked for fire safety or hygiene.

- there isn't a national housing statistic which counts them, as they suck away homes once lived in by owners or rented long-term to local working people.

- HMRC has just sent out letters to 700,000 people it believes have what it calls 'undeclared income from second homes' 

This is why we want a compulsory national registration scheme that will allow us all to know what's happening and to make it possible for realistic controls and regulations to be introduced that will work

It would also allow tax payments to be collected in an accurate and timely manner from those making a fortune out of our housing. 

We worked on a guide to the Registration Scheme Consultation with the Centre for Public Data, local campaigners and with assistance from Greater Manchester Tenants Union you can read / print / download the pdf here

Please support our campaign to keep up the pressure on Government to deliver change and Stop Airbnb Sucking Homes Out Of Use