Bass Coast Council introduces tightened short-stay accommodation rules

More than 2800 property owners in the Bass Coast now have a string of measures they have to meet so people can holiday in the region.

Holiday homeowners in the Bass Coast will have to be contactable 24/7 under new council laws.

More than 2800 property owners who use their properties as short-stay accommodation now have to provide council and adjoining properties contact details that can be used at all times.

Council adopted the new local law to include a section dedicated to short-stay accommodation at its general meeting on Wednesday.

Owners or agents must also now submit a waste management plan, which must be approved by council, when they register their property.

It will mean previously registered properties to re-register under the new scheme.

Bass Coast Shire Mayor Michael Whelan said the move would ensure a “minimum standard of guidelines”.

But holiday home owner Simone Mealyea said the regulations should apply to permanent residents too.

“This is another revenue raising exercise by council,” she said.

“Most short-stay providers would be in agreement with most of the standards the new law seeks to impose however many of these should be applied to permanent residents and long-term renters as well.”

Ms Mealyea said it would be “difficult” for council to monitor and enforce the local law as many short-stay premises were also used by “family and friends”.

Councillor David Rooks said getting short-stayers to “properly recycle” — especially over the summer months — was a growing concern for council.

“We know waste management and noise control in these properties is an issue,” he said at the meeting.

Mr Rooks added: “One of the permanent residents near my short stay lets her dogs bark all night long regularly, and her bins are permanently on the street, often overflowing with rubbish that blows around the neighbourhood.”

Mr Whelan said this step would allow Bass Coast to continue their extensive efforts to manage waste.

“The Bass Coast community continues to lead the way in terms of waste management and recycling and we will seek waste management plans from property owners alongside registration.”

The new laws will come into effect from January 2023.

“Now the Local Law has been adopted, council officers will develop the process for how owners of properties will need to register their short term accommodation, outline the responsibilities of owners and set the fees to register a Short Stay Accommodation property,” Mr Whelan said.