Thinking of renting out your property on the short-term rental market? Here’s what hosts need to know before signing up.
Do you host short term rentals or use this type of accommodation? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
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Choice’s guide covers a wide range of relevant issues.
The one major issue for me is how does this business affect the neighbours?
Prior to this online business model we all knew what to expect? Council planning and state planning laws determined what would be permitted next door and how it might be used legally. Casual rentals were not common except in major holiday locations. There both housing and apartments were rented out for days and up to weeks. Most councils simply accepted this as normal practice. Letting was typically through a local agent.
The notion that the live in owners and longer term tenants in our townhouse complex might change on a daily or weekly frequency is a concern. No doubt some stayers will be perfect guests, however when a guest is not well intentioned what happens next? Getting an immediate remedy will likely be complex and pointless. It may not be timely. How many weeks for a breech notice? Current Body Corporate legislation may not respond adequately. It will be remedy after the fact, and possibly a long difficult process through tribunals or the courts.
It is also a concern that Airbnb is at arms length to what happens day to day in any contract. How they market a particular premise in respect of adjacent properties has potential to impact on the neighbours. You can’t just stroll down the street to their office and make a complaint or sit with Airbnb in a local tribunal to resolve issues.
It’s all to do with the neighbours.
P.s.
Airbnb just do marketing, all care limited responsibility. Some might suggest similar to how the the 30th PM has approached his new role?
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