The number of homes rented out to tourists and business visitors in London is increasing as the capital recovers from the pandemic. Homeowners and landlords rent out rooms and entire homes through platforms like Airbnb, Booking.com and SpareRoom.
These short-term lettings often have a very negative impact on London neighbourhoods like Fitzrovia. They can turn buildings into hotels and flats are frequently rented out for parties.
Now City Hall wants to know what Londoners think about short-term lets in the capital.
It’s a complicated issue, with benefits and challenges, says City Hall. Londoners can earn extra money renting out a spare room, for instance. But every home let regularly to tourists is one which can’t be used as a stable, long-term home for Londoners.
The potential downsides are already recognised by limits on short-term lets. For spare rooms, landlords can let rooms all year round. But homeowners can rent out their entire home for a maximum of 90 nights a year in London. This is hard to enforce and some landlords are breaking the rules regularly.
Now the Mayor of London wants local residents to take a short survey to inform his response to the government’s consultation on the regulation of short-term lettings. This is due to launch later this year.
Have your say on short-term lettings. The survey will close on Monday 4 July 2022.