Government hints at further action on short-term lets

The government claims it is taking action to tackle the impact of short-term lets.

In response to a written parliamentary question, Labour’s Baroness Taylor of Stevenage said the government would review additional measures aimed at giving councils greater powers to tackle the pressures caused by short-term lets.

The news comes as MPs have called on the government to go further in clamping down on short-term lets by changing data-management rules.

Government is taking action on short-term lets

Baroness Taylor of Stevenage said: “The government is taking action to manage the impact of short-term lets on local areas. This includes making fair and progressive changes to the tax system, by abolishing the furnished holiday lets tax regime and increasing the higher rates of Stamp Duty Land Tax on additional dwellings from three percentage points above standard rates to five percentage points above standard rates.

“In addition, we are empowering Mayors to introduce a visitor levy on short-term overnight accommodation in their region.

“We are considering what additional powers we might give local authorities to enable them to respond to the pressures created by short-term lets.

“The government expects landlords to take active steps to tackle fraud and ensure social housing is used fairly, this may include taking legal action.

“Further, the government has commissioned a review exploring how effectively social housing providers manage their stock, including tackling issues such as fraud. Findings will be published later this year.”

Mandatory national registration scheme

As previously reported by Property118, the government has committed to introducing a mandatory national registration scheme for short-term lets.

Under the scheme, hosts will need to register their property’s address and will be issued a unique reference number. This number must be displayed on all platforms where the property is listed.

Hosts will also be required to confirm that they are complying with existing regulations for short-term lets, including fire safety, gas, and electrical certifications.