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The Short-Term Accommodation Association accuses local governments of cracking down on short-term rentals, rather than focusing on reusing vacant properties.
Despite holiday rentals being commonly blamed for the decline in long-term rental property, the association’s analysis found that in around 58% of local authorities the number of long-term vacant properties outnumbers the number of holiday rentals.
STAA chief executive Andy Fenner said: “The cause of the housing crisis is not holiday rentals but the councils that leave them abandoned. Holiday rentals create much-needed jobs in communities across the country – empty properties create none.”
“Most councils have homes that are empty for long periods of time, which outnumber the number of holiday rentals in the area. Policymakers should be looking to solve the housing crisis rather than scapegoating an industry that is responsible for jobs and investment in areas where there is often nothing else.”
“This is the height of hypocrisy, as councils across the UK are being encouraged to strangle this industry with higher council tax, planning requirements and licensing systems. Empty properties benefit no one and can even have a negative impact on neighbours and communities when left abandoned and in disrepair. Meanwhile short-term lettings are a vibrant part of the tourism industry, attracting visitors from all over the world.”
Local governments in some areas are limiting the number of short-term rentals and holiday rentals will be subject to tougher tax rules from April next year.
In some tourist destinations, vacant houses are more noticeable than vacation rentals.
The borough of Arran, which includes the seaside town of Bognor Regis, has more than 400 long-term vacant homes – 6.7 times the number of holiday rentals in the area (66).
In local authorities such as Caerphilly and Rhondda Canon Taf in Wales, there are more than five times as many empty homes as holiday rentals, and in the Scottish Highlands the number is 4.4 times as many.
The biggest discrepancy in terms of numbers is in Aberdeen, where there are 4,370 more empty houses than holiday rentals – a whopping 4.6 to 1. That’s thousands of properties that add no value to the local community in Scotland’s third largest city.
Mr Fenner added: “It’s outrageous that people are being blamed for renting their homes to families wanting to holiday in the UK, especially when empty homes are barely being talked about as a problem. The housing crisis is a complex issue that won’t be solved overnight, but utilising existing housing stock would be a good start.”
“Tourism is something we should be proud of and encourage. This country has great cities, beautiful countryside and world-class destinations. Holiday rentals allow people to explore all this country has to offer. We should help them and protect the thousands of jobs they support.”