QLD Australia license

[Leanne273]

Are there any host in Qld that can tell me I have never heard of such a thing however I have Fair Trading after me can anyone assist please.

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[Robin4]

@Leanne273 

Leanne I suggest you look at this site! There are differing laws around Australia regarding short term rentals and there are quite onerous restrictions in the Gold Coast area.

You are required to get planning permission to host more than 4 guests but, when I access your profile you are only visible as a guest.....so I can't give you a definitive hosting answer.

https://www.houst.com/blog/short-term-regulation-gold-coast#:~:text=For%20accepting%20more%20than%20...

Check out that site and it might give you the answer to why Fair Trading is after you.

Sorry I can't be of more help!

Cheers.........Rob

[Leanne273]

Hi Rob

Thanks so much they first of called me asking all these questions of course I was reluctant and told them to write to me. Never heard anything now they stuck a letter not in an envelope or anything threatening me with fines up to 9k if I don’t provide a tonne of information.

I only just 2 properties they say I have up to 19 but I am only a co hist so I can see the calendar for cleaning or check ins they say I don’t believe you want copies of my trust calendars bookings etc they say I am not licensed to manage the property which I have been doing for the past 3 years. I have proof that I don’t have all the properties and letters from owners but I am not aware of any license that I need I thought only owners had to register for their property to be on Airbnb.

it’s stressing me that much and she is a horrible person I’ve always done the right thing pay all my taxes gst and now I am being held liable for yet another rule they have brought in. She has also mentioned it’s not legal for me to manage/host an owner’s property on Airbnb ? Since when when you lost a property you are asked are you an owner or a manager/host.

I am so lost and their is nothing out there is black and white hence why I am reaching out to get help from someone that may know something.

[Robin4 · Accepted solution]

@Leanne273 

 Sorry I haven't responded sooner but it wasn't until Frances tagged me that I became aware of your reply.

When you want another contributors attention Leanne, press the @ symbol, and a drop down box will appear with a list of contributors who are involved in that message stream. Just click the contributor you wish to converse with and that person will get a notification, as I have done at the start of this message.

To me this sounds a bit dodgy Leanne!

1/........Local council or Office of Fair Trading through the Consumer Affairs Branch are not going to come at you with a phone call or some hand delivered scribe stuffed in a letterbox. Authorities like to keep everything very official with a well defined trail. What you have described does not sound like their way of doing business.

2/.......I am not aware that a Co-Host in Australia need to be licensed. Property managers do but a co-host is not regarded as a property manager. A co-host falls in the same bracket as a cleaner. You act for and under the direction of a principal. It could be seen though as a grey area Leanne.

3/.......Queensland government are rather vague with their STR definitions. All the official site says is........To offer rental accommodation to customers you may need permission from your local council.

Other Government sites are even more vague, and with regard to Gold Coast Council any search for clarification ends up at a lawyers online site with a notation.....'page not found'! Not at all helpful!

Leanne, you don't, in reality know where this information is coming from and I think you need to sort that out as a first step!

I would contact the Office of Fair Trading in Southport on 13 74 68 yourself, or go into their office at 12/14 Marine Parade, Southport, explain your situation and ask for their help in defining what obligations you might need to comply with.

I would do this as a matter of urgency Leanne. I have found authorities are very helpful if you take the first step and ask what you should do. If they come after you things could be considerably different.

Sorry I can't be of more help but I wish you luck and hope this sorts out well for you!

Cheers........Rob

[Leanne273]

Hi Robin sorry I am new to this forum and apologise if I di not do things. correctly but thank you. Yes it all started with random call she wanted to know all sorts of things. I said please send to me in writing which I never heard anything until the letter in the door very unprofessional to say the least.

We called the Office of FairTrading and confirmed she was there she has called me a liar and all sorts of things I have a letter from each owners saying we solely look after the cleaning.They have asked for trust account details and the list goes nosh has been extremely incriminating. 

I have contacted Gold Coast City Council and The Office of Fair Trading with regards to licensing and both say they cannot find anything for Airbnb hosting. Is it appears no one knows anything I have 2 properties I host and the others are all cleaning for the owners.

In the world we live with so much scamming going on you cannot trust anyone and of course I was not going to hand over information. Its very frightening as you just don't know who you are dealing with and I believe Have don't nothing wrong at all and am dum founded to why they would be after me?

I work 7 days a week and really don't expect to be treated like this its a sad world we live in.

[Nick3125]

Hi @Leanne273  did you ever get to the bottom of this? I'm looking to start a co hosting/management company in Brisbane and therefore looking for a solid answer, but all I can find on the topic is this page

[Frances3408]

@Leanne273

I suspect the co hosting that Airbnb allows isnt very well defined in any Australian STR laws (certainly not here in NSW and we have some very specific laws now). As a consequence when Councils get info from 3rd party data providers (in order to go after STR hosts they believe are not licensed) my guess is that it lists both hosts and co hosts.

Not sure how to help you except to say you may need some legal advice, especially if you are also a GC STR owner (your reply to @Robin4 "I only just 2 properties " was not clear enough for me to determine this).

[Anissa88]

Hello Leanne,

Oh 4 Please 

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