East Gippsland: Plea for holiday homes to bolster rental housing stock

East Gippsland is the latest council trying to convince holiday home owners to add their properties to dwindling rental stock.

East Gippsland is the latest region attempting to address the housing crisis by encouraging property owners with holiday homes in the area to add them to a dwindling rental pool.

Ratepayers with secondary houses in places including Lakes Entrance, Paynesville, Metung, Mallacoota and Marlo will receive a letter with their next rates notice due this month asking them to consider playing a part in solving the rental shortage.

But the mayor of a neighbouring local government area on the far south coast of NSW where the same plea was made two years ago, said East Gippsland should not expect miracles.

Bega Shire mayor Russell Fitzpatrick.

Bega Shire’s Russell Fitzpatrick said the lucrative Airbnb market and family members living and working remotely in holiday homes during Covid had been stumbling blocks in his area.

“It’s hard because you’ve got the Airbnb market and no one is travelling overseas at the moment,” he said.

“People are making more out of their places from Airbnb than permanent rentals.

“We’ve had problems here for a while. It goes back before the bushfires.

“Since Covid a lot of family houses that were holiday houses have now had parts of the family move into them full-time.”

Metung in East Gippsland Shire. Picture: David Crosling

East Gippsland mayor Mark Reeves said people were being forced to live in caravan parks due to a lack of rental accommodation.

“(Also) we’re hearing from business owners that they can’t attract staff because of the lack of housing,” he said.

“We have also been made aware of people who would move here if they could find a house.

“This includes police officers, teachers, doctors, nurses, seasonal firefighters and carpenters, who are all professionals seeking accommodation in our region right now, among others.”

The shire is encouraging ratepayers to contact a real estate agent if they want to rent their holiday home.

King & Heath Real Estate, Bairnsdale, director Mark Howlett said there was a dire shortage of rental properties in the area.

It had only four properties available to rent when there were more than 20 pre-Covid.

“It’s a great initiative and I’m comfortable it will help address the issue,” he said.

“But the bulk of the issue was caused when there was a run on properties during Covid and our landlords sold a percentage of our rental portfolio.

“Rental properties were sold to people who wanted a house for themselves.

“They couldn’t find one to buy and bought one with a tenant and waited until the tenant departed.”

Originally published as East Gippsland: Plea for holiday homes to bolster rental housing stock