Holiday lets in England could face a regime of certification and spot checks if initial ideas put forward in a newly announced review into short-term tourist accommodation are taken up.

The review ‘will seek to improve the holiday letting market for those living in popular tourism destinations’ said the Government. It suggests the possibility of physical checks of premises to ensure health and safety, noise and anti-social behaviour regulations are being obeyed. There could be a new registration ‘kitemark’ scheme with spot checks for compliance with rules on issues such as gas safety, a self-certification scheme for hosts to register with before they can operate, and better information or a single source of guidance. ‘Holiday let sites like Airbnb have helped boost tourism across the country, but we need to make sure this doesn’t drive residents out of their communities’, said Housing Minister Stuart Andrew, announcing the review.

‘We are already taking action to tackle the issue of second and empty homes in some areas by empowering councils to charge up to double the rate of council tax. This review will give us a better understanding of how short term lets are affecting housing supply locally to make sure the tourism sector works for both residents and visitors alike’.

But National Residential Landlords Association chief executive Ben Beadle said the growth in holiday lets is a direct consequence of Government attacks on long-term rented housing.

‘Tax policies actively discourage long-term investment in the private rented sector by landlords. With a Housing Secretary that wants to shrink the size of the sector, it is little wonder many landlords have jumped ship to the holiday lets market.

‘As a result, for many in holiday hot spots finding a long-term home to rent is all but impossible. With demand for such housing at a record high, all it is doing is increasing rents when tenants can least afford it.

‘The Government needs to end its anti-landlord attitude and develop pro-growth tax plans to help renters access the housing they need’.
The Government said it ‘understands’ that an increase in holiday lets ‘can be an impact on housing supply and price’ and there is evidence of a rise in anti-social behaviour including noise, waste and drunken behaviour in affected local communities.

It also acknowledges that action to control the growth in short term lets has been taken in Scotland, where local authorities are to be required to set up licensing schemes by October 2022, and in Northern Ireland, where tourist accommodation cannot be provided without a valid certificate issued by the national tourist board. In January Welsh Minister for Housing and Local Government, Julie James said her government was ‘ exploring the potential for a statutory registration scheme for all holiday accommodation’.

Evidence for the review is requested within 12 weeks.