New push for SA Parliament calling for an inquiry into Airbnbs and short-term rental holiday houses

A push to scrutinise holiday house owners is happening next week, as support grows for an inquiry into short-term rentals.

Fears thousands of Airbnb and holiday home owners are robbing South Australians of long-term rentals are behind a new push to scrutinise the industry.

A snapshot of January listings showed more than 9000 holiday or short-stay accommodation options were advertised in SA, as thousands struggled to find a place to call home.

The SA Council of Social Service and Lord Mayor Jane Lomax-Smith are supporting a Greens SA move to take action after data results from January 21 showed that, in contrast, there were just over 2500 long-term rentals available.

Century 21 South Coast owner, Shelley Bezuidenhout outside a holiday home in Aldinga Beach. Picture: Matt Loxton

When parliament resumes next week, Greens housing spokesman Robert Simms will call for a vote on his motion to establish a select committee to look into the impact of short-stay accommodation on the rental crisis.

He wants regulatory options or incentives explored to prompt more homeowners to turn holiday homes into long-term rentals.

“On January 21, there were only 2524 properties listed on the long-term rental market across SA on realestate.com.au, yet there were more than 9000 properties listed for short-stay accommodation like Airbnb,” Mr Simms said.

“We are in the middle of the worst housing crisis in a generation. It’s clear existing policy settings simply aren’t working.”

Ms Lomax-Smith said that in June 2024, Adelaide City Council introduced a 20 per cent rate increase for short-stay accommodation rented out for 90 days a year – but this option needed to be explored further.

“The problem is an equity issue – this is a statewide issue,” she said.

SACOSS chief executive officer Ross Womersley said the state’s homelessness situation meant it was essential to explore any opportunity to help.

Century 21 South Coast is the largest holiday home provider in Adelaide’s southern beachside suburbs, managing 90 properties between Port Noarlunga and Encounter Bay.

Owner Shelley Bezuidenhout said high interest rates and living costs were already seeing the holiday home market cooling.

“Big beachfront homes are doing better from holiday rental where as if you have a smaller house a couple of streets back, you would make more on a permanent rental,” she said.

Airbnb Australia and New Zealand spokesman Michael Crosby said the “root cause of the housing crisis is a lack of new homes being built”, adding that short-term rentals were vital to SA’s tourism economy.

“Many short-term rental properties will never be suitable for longer-term rental because it’s someone’s spare room, grannyflat or someone’s primary residence,” he said.

Originally published as New push for SA Parliament calling for an inquiry into Airbnbs and short-term rental holiday houses