England is set to introduce new controls on holiday lets in order to prevent locals from being priced out of their own community, the UK government has announced. People will be required to seek permission before turning their homes into short-term holiday rentals. A mandatory national registration scheme will also be implemented. The changes aim to prevent the “hollowing out” of communities in areas with higher numbers of short-term lets. The rules will only apply to new short-term lets. Existing ones will be automatically reclassified.
A number of holiday hotspots, including North Devon and Scarborough, have seen a 40% increase in holiday rentals between 2018 and 2021, according to council figures analysed by the BBC. Lawmakers representing popular holiday destinations have previously called for stronger regulation against the rise in short-term lets, arguing that it has made it difficult for locals to find affordable housing.
Airbnb, the platform where people advertise short-term holiday rentals, welcomed the move. Amanda Cupples, its general manager for Northern Europe, said the changes would “support” the families hosting on the platform and give local authorities more information so that they can manage housing impacts and keep communities healthy.
However, Generation Rent, a tenants’ campaign group, said it was not clear whether changes to the planning system would be enforceable. Chief executive Ben Twomey also noted that proposals to allow existing short-term lets to automatically gain permission to continue risked shutting the stable door once the horse had bolted.
According to Housing Secretary Michael Gove, the new changes will “strike the right balance between protecting the visitor economy and ensuring local people get the homes they need”. The move has been supported by a trade association for tourism, Tourism Alliance, although it has criticised the suggested changes to planning rules as sparking concern.
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