Yahoo Finance Airbnb claims it is ‘part of everyday life’ as it fights Michael Gove’s holiday let crackdown
Airbnb has claimed it has become “a part of everyday life”, as it fights back against Michael Gove's holiday homes crackdown.
The US tech giant has insisted holiday lets are vital for local economies thanks to tourism brought in by holidaymakers, in adverts this week.
A paid-for message from the short-term lets firm circulated on Politico's London Playbook, a popular Westminster-focused newsletter, says holiday lets contributed £5.1bn to the British economy in 2019, adding “many local businesses rely on this trade”.
It comes as Michael Gove's plans to crack down on the spread of holiday lets in coastal towns.
The Levelling Up Secretary told The Telegraph in April that short-term lets had “taken local housing stock – that local people expected it to be for them – and turned it into a sort of rival hotel”.
Mr Gove, who said the spread of holiday homes was turning coastal towns into an “almost permanent Airbnb setting”, has proposed forcing second homeowners to seek planning permission before renting out their properties as vacation lets. Local authorities would then be in charge of overseeing the registers and granting planning permission.
In response, Airbnb has readied itself to fight back against the Government and is understood to be lobbying for elements of Mr Gove's proposals to be watered down.
Its message said: “Airbnb has become a part of everyday life for many in the UK, but there are still common misconceptions about our community.”
It said it was “vital that any new rules strike the right balance between the needs of local communities, hosts, and guests”, adding “one of the biggest challenges policymakers face is the lack of accurate information on how many short-term lets there are” and that “any decisions by local authorities to restrict short-term lets should be based on evidence”.
It said it introduced a global ban on parties at its properties in 2020 and blocked more than 84,000 people in Britain from making “certain unwanted bookings” in 2021.
It also argued most people who let their homes on its site were just “everyday people” with four in five hosts operating just one listing, earning just £6,000 a year in extra income – with two in five saying they used the additional cash to help with household bills like mortgages.
It said holiday lets had contributed £5.1bn to the British economy in 2019, supporting more than 65,000 jobs in 2021.
They echo comments from Theo Lomas, the company’s public policy chief, who said last month said Mr Gove’s proposals “aren't that dissimilar to the approach Wales has taken” under Labour first minister Mark Drakeford.
He said: “We want to work with the Government to ensure that any planning interventions are carefully considered, evidence-based, and strike a balance between protecting housing and supporting everyday families who let their space to help afford their home and keep pace with rising living costs.”
This month Mr Lomas said: “Airbnb welcomes proportionate and evidence-based regulation and we want to be good partners to the government and help make the new rules a success for everyone.”
The ownership of holiday lets soared following the pandemic, with buy-to-let investors taking advantage of the growing interest in staycations and the stamp duty holiday that made purchasing second homes more affordable.
Theresa Villiers, a former cabinet minister, said the proliferation of holiday lets diminished the supply of affordable housing, increasing the need for housebuilding.
Although new regulations will be implemented throughout England, local authorities may choose whether or not to employ the planning controls.
