Airbnb's support of Mayor Sadiq Khan

[Martin0]

Today I received the following from the Airbnb Team, to which I could not reply directly to which I have replied here:

Hi Martin,

You may have seen the news this morning that the Mayor of London and London Councils are calling on Government to introduce a new registration system for short-term lets in London. Airbnb supports the principle of introducing a simple, online system with no or low cost to hosts and the Mayor’s announcement is the first step in that process.

We believe these proposals are good news for responsible hosts and will help authorities support the sustainable growth of home sharing in London. If the Government decides to adopt the proposal, it will take time and they will need your input on how that system should work.

This call has not come overnight. In 2015 the Government passed legislation allowing hosts in London to let out their properties for up to 90 nights. In 2017, Airbnb voluntarily implemented London’s 90 night limit on entire homes used for short-term lets. So far we have remained the only platform to take this step, which has made it challenging for authorities to implement the rules. A simple registration system would better support the effectiveness of the 90 night limit.

In his announcement, the Mayor of London highlighted that short-term lets are a benefit to visitors and to Londoners who want to earn a little extra money, and that the proposed registration system should be simple to use and come at no or low cost to hosts.

We are proud to be supporting this initiative and we will keep you updated as this topic progresses. In the meantime, you can read more about the call for a registration system here.

Many thanks,
The Airbnb Team

Dear Airbnb Team,

Thank you for the notification, the result of which, having forwarded it to two of the owners of properties that I manage, is for one to say that they are discontinuing short term rental as from December 31st and another to say that they are thinking about it.

The effect of this is that Airbnb and I will lose even more income and Mayor Sadiq Khan will have achieved his ambition of increasing the long term rental stock in London. It will be interesting to see how many other owners succomb to the pressure becasue there is no guarantee that owners will continue to rent at all, particularly in the wealthier parts of London.

If the third owner of a property that I manage is forced to reconsider, I have been told that she will leave the property empty rather than have the nightmare of renting to long term tenants, who can be veryy destructive and obstinate. Another consideration that may have been overlooked.

Just a few thoughts that perhaps have not been registered with the Mayor and Government - and yourselves while trying to ingratiate yourselves with the authorities.

Kid regards  

Martin Everard

[Paul1255]

Hi @Martin0  I hope you are well!

I was just at a host meet-up at the Airbnb HQ in London this evening, and one of the main topics was the possibility of the new registration system, how it might work, who it could affect and so on.

At the moment it is still at the early stages I don't think it is time for hosts/owners to start panicking and de-listing.

There seems to be no clarity yet if this would only affect entire listing owners or private room listing owners too- which was a real worry for most of the hosts who attended this evening who are private room listing owners.

I can understand why Airbnb would want to be part of the conversation at this early stage, and maybe help shape the way the system is created and so on rather than work against it- but I think it's still too early to really understand the impact it will have on Airbnb and the other STR platforms out there.

Paul.

[Martin0]

Dear Paul,

Thank you for your report and comments. I think that my owner just wanted to rethink her renting strategy. The apartment needs some major work done on it and this provded an opportunity to change direction.

So next year I will be looking for another owner who is looking for a manager - preferbaly very close by! Or maybe at the age of 79.5 then, I should hang up my keys. I won't miss having to climb to the second floor and schlepping the laundry for five beds!

Martin

[Paul1255]

Ok that makes sense  @Martin0 .

Yikes 5 beds?! The largest property I manage is 3 beds and that is big enough for me 🙂

I think the next host meet up at Airbnb is going to be in May, perhaps if you're free you could come!

[Martin0]

Paul,

Do you have a date for it? If not, does someone (Airbnb?) Send out an SMS?

[Paul1255 · Accepted solution]

@Martin0 no date set as yet, the organiser is going to work out some options. I will send you a direct message with my mobile number so we can keep in touch.

[Martin0]

Mine is**.

thank you.

**[Phone number hidden due to safety reasons - Community Center Guidelines]

[Alon1]

@Paul1255 

I am surprised to find your mention of the meeting this week, because normally Airbnb sends public notice of local 'meet ups'.

Unless I've overlooked it did not receive it this time.

Consequently, please confirm if I overlooked, or there was some other private communique?

Thanks,

[Alon1]

@Paul1255 @Martin0 

Ps:

re:  'There seems to be no clarity yet if this would only affect entire listing owners or private room listing owners too- which was a real worry for most of the hosts who attended this evening who are private room listing owners.'

See BBC article published to day. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-47910700

In it it is written Article

  'Mr Khan has now called on the government to introduce a new registration system for anyone wanting to rent out a property for less than 90 days a year - to make it clear who is operating in this sector.'

If that's the case, and as it implies registration for 'LESS 90 DAYS A YEAR' - why should it worry 'private room listing owners' [i.e. live-in-hosts] who don't come under the 90 Days mandate for entire flat listings, and predominantly operate 365 days?

In sum, the meeting this week evidently echoes the ones from 2015 when the 90 Days Rule was on the verge of implimentation. There were a number of meetings because of the numbers of attendees.

  The meetings were addressed by the head of Airbnb European something or other, (forget his name and title), and no sooner he ended his speel he was bombarded with the singular question how will the law effect 365 live-in-hosts?

  He couldn't give a definitive answer and so replied in one  long waffle after another.

The lack of clarity was similarly debated on the sadly defunct, vibrant London Host Community Forum of which Martin was a regular contributor. 

So now it's just a repeat question re the New Registration: Only Entire Flat 90 Days or Live-In Hosts 365 as well.....