CLICK HERE FOR A QUICK & EASY GUIDE TO RESPONDING TO THE CONSULTATION

Amid growing calls for controls on Airbnb style short-lets sucking housing out of residential use, the Government is conducting a 'Call for Evidence' consultation on a registration scheme - it might look like Airbnb wrote it, but we suggest you respond by email detailing local impacts in YOUR area. 

You need to respond by September 21st for your response to count...

That means writing an email stating you are responding to 'Question 6' and would like your input published as part of the consultation responses.

Question 6 is almost like an opinion poll on the impact of Airbnb and short-lets - This is question 6, it is entitled:

'Impact on the Housing Market' and asks:

'Question 6: Do you consider the increase in short-term and holiday letting in England to have had adverse consequences on the housing market?'

Respondents are then offered 4 possible responses:

'Yes, this is a major problem

Yes, but this is only a minor problem

No, there is no problem

Don't know'

Finally the consultation then asks for further details or examples, stating:

'Please give reasons for your answer, including specific examples/evidence of any adverse effects, particularly at a local level.'

To respond:

Action on Empty Homes suggest that you email a response. You can respond via a form on the Government website or by email, but because of the form's design and length, we suggest that you may prefer to email on the address below:

The email address for responses to the Government Consultation is below - please copy us in at [email protected]

[email protected]

Please also register your email address on the form at the bottom of this page, so we can keep you up to date on our campaign. 

Why this matters:

In many areas with high levels of seasonal tourism and growing numbers of second homes, Airbnb-type short lettings are increasingly common and result in more homes being unavailable for local people to live in whether as owner-occupiers or long-term rental tenants. In a housing crisis this is important and many communities are calling for action and new powers.

Bodies like London Councils have suggested that as many as one home in 50 in the capital may now be an Airbnb and of course in many other tourist hotspots it is even higher.

Recent measures proposed by the English Government to increase council tax on second homes actually offer a get-out clause for those let short-term, as if an incentive were needed for the short-term let market to grow more; as a result these are unlikely to have a positive impact on local housing supply.

In Wales new planning use classes are being introduced by the devolved Welsh Government, to ensure that owners taking homes out of residential use, whether as short-term lets or second homes, need to apply for planning permission to change the homes use. This will put the power to limit numbers of Airbnbs in local hands, as evidence grows of the negative impacts on Welsh communities. In Scotland local licensing schemes, limits and control areas are being introduced.

England's Government has yet to act. This consultation is your chance to influence England's proposals, which currently appear limited to a licensing scheme. It is important any such scheme offers local communities the option of limiting numbers to protect local housing.

Working with campaigners and academics studying the development of the short-let industry and its impact on housing, we have developed a briefing covering how they would respond to many of the questions covered by the Government's 'Call for Evidence' on potential Registration Schemes.

We believe our response gives a fair representation of the real effects of short-term rentals on British communities and addresses issues which the Government consultation should take account of.

Before the consultation concludes on September 21st, we need more individuals, organisations, and academics who are passionate about the damaging impacts of short-term lets (or Airbnbs) on communities, to respond in order to ensure that the consultation produces a fair evaluation.

This is your opportunity to express your opinion about short-term rentals and their impacts.

For a short summary of how our experts respond to the consultation on the areas they think are relevant:

CLICK HERE

To respond via the form:

You can respond via a form or by email, because of the form's design, you may prefer to email as discussed above.

If you are interested in finding out more, and to see how the consultation has been put together, you can go to the Government Consultation page, we don't think this is designed to encourage public response (to put it mildly!) - even though this is described as an 'open consultation' - the Government Consultation page is here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/developing-a-tourist-accommodation-registration-scheme-in-england/developing-a-tourist-accommodation-registration-scheme-in-england-call-for-evidence

The email address for responses to the Consultation is below - if sending an email response, please copy us in at [email protected]

[email protected]

Please also register your email address on the form at the bottom of this page (below) so we can keep you up to date on our campaign.