Subject: Licensing scheme for short term holiday lets and Airbnbs

Date of meeting: 21 July 2022

Proposer: Councillor Williams

Seconder: Councillor Evans

Ward(s) affected: All

Notice of Motion

Labour Group

This committee notes:

· The disruption, distress, and exacerbation to the housing supply crisis that the rise in short term holiday lettings such as AirBnB have inflicted on our local communities

· That some short term holiday lets have replaced long term rental accommodation, stifling supply of rented accommodation and in turn driving rents up and conditions down

· The detrimental impact holiday lets have on our local hospitality industry, and on our aim for a circular local economy that builds community wealth

Therefore, this Council resolves to:

1) Request TECC Committee task officers with bringing forward a report that helps tackle the issues created by short term holiday lets in the city

2) Further request TECC Committee to ask officers to include in the report plans to:

· Require mandatory licensing for all short term lets, and to ensure they are brought in line with rented accommodation in terms of the standards we expect and enforce as a local authority

· Make licenses dependent upon owners producing health and safety certificates to ensure compliance

3) Request the Chief Executive write to the Housing Secretary, lobbying for powers to;

· Designate a minimum percentage of housing to be reserved for long term lets, and place a cap on the number of holiday lets

· Rescind licenses if holiday lets prove a nuisance to residents

· Introduce a licensing scheme similar to that laid out by the Welsh Government, to not only limit the number of second homes and holiday lets, but to ensure fair taxation is extracted from them

Supporting Information:

Short Term Lets - ACORN || Union for the Community (acorntheunion.org.uk)