Call for regulations on Airbnb-style accommodation in Taranaki Brianna McIlraith17:03, Mar 28 2019

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Call for regulations on Airbnb-style accommodation in Taranaki

Brianna McIlraith17:03, Mar 28 2019

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  123RF.COM

  Airbnb has become massively popular.

  Accommodation providers in New Plymouth are calling for regulations on the hundreds of rooms and properties being rented out to tourists.

  It is understood that there are more than 450 entire homes in New Plymouth listed on the Airbnb website, which helps tourists find alternatives to hotels and motels, and a number of people have given up their day jobs to turn their homes into businesses.

  But there are no regulations for properties offering such peer-to-peer accommodation and the Taranaki branch of industry body Hospitality New Zealand is calling for change.

  ANDY JACKSON/STUFF

  "I just wonder whether they've got the right consents," Deborah Tawa said about residential properties operating as businesses.

  "Many of these properties are turning over tens of thousands of dollars operating as commercial enterprises in residential areas with no regulations whatsoever," Brett Brennen, accommodation sector chairman for Hospitality NZ Taranaki, told a New Plymouth District Council planning committee this week.

   

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  Brennen, along with Beach Street Motel Apartments owner and vice president of Hospitality NZ Taranaki Deborah Tawa, told Tuesday's committee meeting of their concern about the lack of regulations governing the domestic short-term accommodation industry. 

   

  They want the council to bring in regulations for any peer-to-peer accommodation provider, such as someone renting out their spare bedroom or property to visitors and tourists, so they are bound by the same commercial regulations and rates that apply to regular accommodation providers.

  They also want the same health and safety regulations that apply to commercial operators to apply to Airbnb and similar providers.

  "All we are asking for is that it's a level playing field," Tawa told the meeting.

  "Peer-to-peer accommodation presents us with a challenge going forward here in Taranaki," Brennen said. 

  "During their early rapid growth these companies disrupted an established industry before local policy makers could do anything about it."

  He said under the Building Act 2004, section 114 and 115, building owners are required to notify the council if they intend to change the use of a building.

  This would affect anyone renting out a home to visitors.

  But both Brennen and Tawa questioned how many did notify the council.   

  "I just wonder whether they've got the right consents," Tawa told councillors. 

  Brennen and Tawa were keen to work together with the council to help work out a model for Taranaki, although they would like to see a wider government policy that is standard for the whole country. 

  "Let's hope it doesn't take a death in an Airbnb property for them to take action," Tawa said.

  Vicki Fairley, general manager marketing and tourism for Venture Taranaki said there was no way for them to know how many people stay in peer-to-peer accommodation as Statistics New Zealand is yet to measure the accommodation type.  

  "With the rapid rise of alternative accommodation options, such as Airbnb, this has been identified as a definite gap in the statistics in the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment's Tourism Data Domain Plan 2018 and one they are seeking to address," she said in a written statement. 

  Jo Bourke, co-directors of property management company Bach Break New Plymouth, said they specialised in holiday rental accommodation, fixed term fully furnished rentals and domestic property cleaning.

  She said majority of the properties listed on the website were residential properties with absentee owners. She said all properties had to adhere to companies regulations, such as having a working smoke alarm, fire extinguisher and correct insurance cover. 

  Bourke said that regulations for peer-to-peer accommodation would eventually need to be introduced. 

  "It is an emerging industry so it is inevitable that regulations will come in to play," she said in a written statement.

  "It is extremely important that there is a thorough and robust process of consultation with the industry sector around future regulations, what is fair and feasible while still allowing the industry to flourish." 

  New Plymouth District Council has been approached for comment.

   

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