London Councils slam the government’s short-term and holiday let reforms

London Councils slam the government’s short-term and holiday let reforms

0:04 AM, 21st May 2024, About 6 months ago 7

Text Size

London boroughs have warned that the government’s plans for regulating short-term and holiday lets could worsen the capital’s housing crisis.

The councils, from all political parties, say the government’s proposal could see a new planning ‘C5’ use class being created for properties that are already used as short-term lets.

Now London Councils fear that automatically transferring short-term lets into this new planning category under permitted development rights will mean the overnight loss of thousands of homes.

‘Short-term lets market has been growing’

London Council’s executive member for regeneration, housing and planning, Cllr Darren Rodwell, said: “For too many years the short-term lets market has been growing out of control.

“With housing and homelessness pressures in the capital worse than ever, boroughs are extremely concerned about losing permanent housing stock.

“The priority has to be ensuring homes are available for long-term residents.”

He added: “We welcome the government’s move to improve regulation of the sector, but the blanket reclassification of existing short-term lets into a new use class could strip the capital of thousands of homes.”

He says that councils want to work with the government on its proposals to help tackle the housing crisis.

Could qualify for the new planning class

London Councils estimates there are at least 43,000 short-term lets in London, which they believe could qualify for the new planning class.

That’s around one-in-every-85 homes.

The councils welcome other aspects of the government’s plan, including a mandatory national register of short-term lets.

However, they argue that automatic reclassification undermines efforts to preserve homes for residents.

London Councils are also highlighting concerns over short-term lets exceeding the 90-day limit and contributing to anti-social behaviour.

They want stricter planning rules and more resources for enforcement.


Share This Article


Comments

Cider Drinker

Become a Member

If you login or become a member you can view this members profile, comments, posts and send them messages!

Sign Up

10:12 AM, 21st May 2024, About 6 months ago

The new rules for FHL don’t fix the housing crisis. They simply remove an option for the owner that allows them to keep the property.

It’s not a choice of PRS or FHL. The choice is FHL or sell. That should get some of Khan’s voters out of London.

Lisa008

Become a Member

If you login or become a member you can view this members profile, comments, posts and send them messages!

Sign Up

7:09 AM, 4th June 2024, About 5 months ago

The inability for these muppets to actually address the 'housing crisis' vs trying to blame everyone is ridiculous. You make it extremely difficult for people to get their houses back, you don't help landlords to quickly address rent arrears... so a none payer could be in your property for over a year - paying nothing! And its the LL who has to fork out all the costs of evicting them...

God forbid someone wants to just put their house up for rent for a short period, so that they 1) Get their money up front 2) Can get possession quickly 3) Can return to their house or sell it, or whatever they need to do with it... without all the fanfare! Now they want to meddle with this. Do they ever question WHY short lets are popular??!! Being a family staying in a hotel is exortionate, if you run a company where your workers are on a job in an area for a short time - its a better choice than a hotel and for some... who do not want to be locked into a 6 month tenancy... just a short let SUITS THEM! Why all the government interference??!! Go and build some bloody houses!!! Tinkering at the edges does nothing. To house everyone, ENCOURAGE letting spare rooms and RELAX these HMO rules. They're in everyones business, yet the one business they should focus on is stop selling off their council houses. House needy people!

PAUL BARTLETT

Become a Member

If you login or become a member you can view this members profile, comments, posts and send them messages!

Sign Up

16:10 PM, 3rd August 2024, About 3 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Lisa008 at 04/06/2024 - 07:09
Just bizarre that the new government is not looking to repeal Right To Buy so that social housing stock is protected.

What about Duty To Build social housing so that Councils must build replacement for what they sell or even increase stock?

I suppose that is all too logical and difficult so let's keep on persecution of the Private Rental Sector because obviously that will fix what Social Housing and Housing Associations have not ...

Reluctant Landlord

Become a Member

If you login or become a member you can view this members profile, comments, posts and send them messages!

Sign Up

16:18 PM, 3rd August 2024, About 3 months ago

Reply to the comment left by PAUL BARTLETT at 03/08/2024 - 16:10
a case of do as I demand not what I could do to help...

Stella

Become a Member

If you login or become a member you can view this members profile, comments, posts and send them messages!

Sign Up

21:27 PM, 3rd August 2024, About 3 months ago

These policies are beginning to backfire.
Newham Council is another labour council who has warned that it could go burst due to the cost of temporary accommodation.
Apparently they have announced that they are currently over £22 million in debt for yr 23/24 and next year the projected overspend on temporary accommodation will be £40 million.

Monty Bodkin

Become a Member

If you login or become a member you can view this members profile, comments, posts and send them messages!

Sign Up

21:44 PM, 3rd August 2024, About 3 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Stella at 03/08/2024 - 21:27
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-11984977

Designer lights at £111m office of Newham Council

Stella

Become a Member

If you login or become a member you can view this members profile, comments, posts and send them messages!

Sign Up

11:46 AM, 4th August 2024, About 3 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Monty Bodkin at 03/08/2024 - 21:44
Just a few years after moving into that £111m building Newham were considering selling it and just to make ends meet they leased part of the building to the ambulance services for I think £700,000 and they moved some of their services back to their old buildings.
Newham must have received a fortune from the Olympics and from council tax receipts alone with the massive amount of people that moved into all the new properties built in the area.
Then in 2013 they brought in selective licensing everywhere with the exception of the new E20 post code.

As far as I can see they should have been in a much better situation than most other boroughs.

Leave Comments

In order to post comments you will need to Sign In or Sign Up for a FREE Membership

or

Don't have an account? Sign Up

Landlord Automated Assistant Read More