Sunshine Coast Council permit

[Gavin23]

Hi, has anyone had experience getting the right approvals for short term holiday letting on the Sunshine Coast Queensland.

i received a a breach notice from council, following a complaint from a neighbour. Thanks to One brain dead guest who booked for six guests and turned up with fourteen, on a weekend I was unable to meet them.

Ive got quotes from two town planning companies,  both are quoting over five thousand dollars.

With returns from the short term rental being similar to longer term, I'm trying to find a cheaper way to get the approval, as I'm struggling to justify the cost.

[Michael1291]

Hi Gavin, Just wondering if you found the answers to these questions.

Cheers

Michael

[Gavin23]

Hi Michael

just found out the council has a legal opinion that tells them the conditions on the development application and building permit set what the building can be used for, and recent changes including the definition of "short term holiday letting" cannot be applied retrospectively.

in my case the unit complex is 20 years old and there are no conditions restricting what units can be used for, the building is in the holiday letting zone so I'm now able to go back onto airbnb when the current long term lease expires.

the council officer I spoke to checked and confirmed I was now in the clear.

gavin

[Dee103]

I searched their website and couldn't find any info on this. The council seem to think they are entitled to a cut of anyone's money that they make here on the coast so I'm sure there is some monetary exchange required to appease them. Any clues what that cost is?

[Gavin23]

Hi all I spoke to the council early this year and the advice received is that the conditions on the building development application and building permit set what the building may be used for.

in my case the building was constructed nearly 20 years ago and there are no conditions on the DA or building permit so am free to use the unit for "short term holiday accomodation", as the local zone permits this use.

all owners should seek their own confirmation from council and not rely on the above summary.

[Jody4]

Hi Gavin

I am also hosting on the Sunshine Coast although fortunately not in the Noosa LGA.

I have hosted for going on 4 years now so I was a somewhat early adopter, and I find it intriguing how this has all evolved!

Originally the Airbnb concept was developed from the short term rental/share housing concept where if you had a spare room you could rent it out for a little bit of cash. So for me it kinda stacked up like the arrangement where you would get somone in to rent a room in a shared housing type arrangement and the payment was to compensate for providing the accomodation and factility, ie a contribution to rent and other costs of providing the room, not that it was necessarily income for the tax department and other layers of government to take their share!

I really think we need to get organised to respond in a strategic way to these matters and wondered whether  we need to approach airbnb about some legal advice and/or a collective response to these issues!!??!!

Jody

[Adam20]

Depending on what rates you pay it shouldn’t matter. For example: my unit is zoned “holiday appartments” and I already pay a premium on rates so I am not liable to any further payments. 

[Sharon43]

Has anyone else been deemed "not a principal place of residence" on their rates who are hosting Airbnb?   The new categories seem to be very unjust for onsite hosts who are just renting out a room.   Feedback to Airbnb and your local councillor should be provided if you have as the implications of capital gains and land tax could be disasterous!  

[Daniel2433]

Hey everyone, I’m a town planner and regularly help people with these issues around using their home for short term accommodation. A regular residential property is designed and includes different building features (eg fire warning system) compared to a building used for holiday or short term rentals such as AirBnB. Using a house for short term accommodation changes the function of the house and the impacts on the surrounding area so council requires a development application depending on your zone. You would also need building approval to make sure you have the right building features and class. 

If you need any help I’m happy to assist. 

[Vicki230]

Hi Daniel,

I live on the Sunshine Coast and have just had an issue with my neighbours regarding visitors.  I had friends stay and the neighbours contacted the council to say I was doing Air BNB.  We have only lived on the coast for 6 months and built in a new estate.  I asked the council rep who contacted me what the problem was.  He said Ok to have family stay but all BNB and short term accomodation is banned for all new estates on the Sunshince coast .  This took me by surprise.  I am still trying to determine what i can actually do here if I was to ever consider Air BNB.  What you have alerted to in your above response sounds very involved and expensive.  What is regarded as short term accomodation.??  Is it less than 3 months more than 3 months.   Is every council the same or is there different rules everywhere you live. ???

[Karen2342]

Hi Daniel,

I am looking to let out my flat on the sunshine coast on a short term basis.  Could you please let me know your email address, so I can contact you to get you to do all the checks etc.?

My email is karenholtge@hotmail.com.

Kind regards

Karen

[Christina987]

Hi I like to seek your advice.  If I was to rent out free standing home (not townhouse or apartments)  in sunshine or sunrise beach.  How can I find out whether that’s approved or require application?  

[Bridget250]

Hi Daniel, we are looking at utilising land on our property for this purpose... is there any way of speaking to you directly regarding requirements we would need to seek?

[Peter3365]

Hi Daniel can you message me your contact details as I wish to discuss an issue I hope  I can engage you can help me with 

thanks

Peter

[Daniel2433]

Hi Peter and everyone. Apologies but I didn’t receive any notifications of these replies so sorry for not replying. Only looking now as someone saw Amy post then googled to find me. 
I can’t seem to send direct messages so feel free to send me a message through my website dciassociates.com.au and I can answers any questions that way. Daniel