Stayz backs crackdown call for rules around parties at holiday rentals in SA

Stories of wild gatherings and all-night noise at notorious “party houses” prompted calls for a crackdown – and one of Australia’s leading holiday rental websites has backed the call.

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One of Australia’s largest holiday rental websites has backed calls for a crackdown on party houses.

Stories of wild gatherings – with bikies, strippers and all-night noise – have prompted calls for a crackdown on “party houses” as the popularity of short-term accommodation skyrockets.

As revealed by the Sunday Mail, the State Opposition, with backing from the tourism and hospitality sector, had called for a statewide mandatory registration system, and a code of conduct, of all listed short-term holiday rentals.

Leading holiday rental website Stayz has welcomed the call as a step forward for certainty and clarity.

Both the register and code of conduct would be backed by civil penalties to ensure compliance with the proposed regulations.

Stayz Corporate Affairs Director Eacham Curry said the company consistently advocated for statewide regulation that contains a simple registration scheme for all holiday rental listings, a code of conduct backed by a strikes-based disciplinary regime, and an industry body to adjudicate compliance with the code of conduct.

One of the luxury Airbnb properties listed in SA.

“By clarifying the boundaries of our sector, a simple register of all holiday rentals has the potential to ensure that local governments, communities and our industry can work together to improve amenity and help governments make more informed decisions about urban planning, infrastructure and municipal services,” Mr Curry said.

“When implemented correctly in other parts of the world, the registration of all holiday rentals has proven to be a low-cost and effective way of informing the development of sensible rules for our growing sector.

“Similarly, the code of conduct will ensure that complaints about poor behaviour in all holiday rentals can be swiftly and decisively acted upon.”

Opposition tourism spokeswoman Zoe Bettison, who has proposed the changes and will introduce a Private Member’s Bill next year, said she kept hearing stories about how short-term rentals being used as party houses can impact people’s lives.

“This simply sets some ground rules,” Ms Bettison said.

Ms Bettison has put a draft bill out for public comment.

Mr Curry said Stayz would like the South Australian parliament to

IMPLEMENT compulsory and simple registration for all properties listed on a short-term rental accommodation platform, to help inform sensible and easily understood policy.

CREATE a mandatory short-term rental code of conduct for owners and managers – including a three-strikes rule for those failing to meet the standards.

ESTABLISH a new largely industry-funded and -administered body to quickly address problems and adjudicate questions about amenity, noise and overcrowding at short-term rental accommodation properties.