Kentish Council swoops on Airbnb pensioner

A PENSIONER has been left struggling financially after a council threatened fines for advertising her home on accommodation website Airbnb.

former Cradle Mountain Airbnb operator Sandra Rowdenrich, annoyed with local council for closing her down.

A PENSIONER has been left confused and struggling financially after a council threatened fines of $84,000 for advertising her Cradle Mountain home on accommodation website Airbnb.

Sandra Rowden-Rich advertised an apartment attached to her home for $90 a night on the site in January, taking about 25 bookings before Kentish Council closed her down.

The 76-year-old says she turned to Airbnb when a worker at a Cradle Mountain hotel ceased renting the flat, which is a 30-minute drive from the tourism spot.

“You can see Cradle Mountain from my lounge room,” Mrs Rowden-Rich told the Sunday Tasmanian.

“Everyone loves it, they say breathtaking views, best in Australia.

“There’s all this space with just me rattling around in it.”

Mrs Rowden-Rich received a letter and enforcement notice from the council in June advising she had breached two Acts by not obtaining planning and building permits.

She faced penalties of up to $14,000 under the Building Act and $70,000 under the Land Use Planning Approvals Act.

The council demanded she submit a change of use form as well as property documents, plans and a bushfire plan.

Mrs Rowden-Rich said she had no choice but to pull her home from the $25 billion Airbnb service, despite it being one of the few budget accommodation options in the region.

“It was going to cost a huge amount of money and I don’t have any,” she said.

The case highlights the confusion surrounding the popular “sharing economy” website as councils and governments scramble to keep up.

Mrs Rowden-Rich said Kentish Council was apologetic but hamstrung by its interim planning scheme.

Mayor Don Thwaites said that, with the Hodgman Government pledging a single statewide scheme, a set of basic standards for occasional accommodation should be considered.

“As long as it’s reasonable, as long as it’s safe and it doesn’t involve looking after a busload of people in inappropriate conditions, I think it would be a great thing,” Mr Thwaites said.

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The State Government has set a goal of 1.5 million tourists by 2020 but, with Hobart already facing accommodation stresses, industry figures have called for it to urgently address the issue.

“We need to streamline the process for people who want to have short-term rental,” Tourism Industry Council chief Luke Martin said.

“We don’t need to be bully­boy about it but make sure the rules are clear, fair and transparent, and then they should be applied.

“I would argue they should be held to the same standards as the professional guy down the street who does have to meet those requirements.

“That’s the challenge. Let’s encourage people to do it but let’s not make it too hard.”

A spokesman for Infrastructure Minister Rene Hidding said the Government would release a policy position soon.

Pressure for legal standards for letting

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THE rapid growth of online holiday accommodation service Airbnb has sparked ­demands for all levels of government to get their act ­together and legislate to ­ensure hospitality industry standards are not compromised.

Tasmanian local councils and the State Government are still grappling with the issue, while homeowners advertising their properties on Airbnb want laws simplified so they know where they legally stand.

A spokesman for Infrastructure Minister Rene Hidding confirmed to the Sunday Tasmanian that the State Government was still without a strategy to tackle the problem.

“The Government is currently working through this complex issue and will release a policy position soon,” the spokesman said.

Councils in tourism destinations Hobart, Launceston and Break O’Day were also vague.

Launceston general manager Robert Dobrzynski said homeowners wanting to list on Airbnb should submit a change-of-use ­application.

“It is worth getting in touch with your local council and making sure your property has the appropriate approvals in place, before they contact you,” he said.

Hobart, which has instigated action against 27 Airbnb ­operators, was unable to provide a detailed response. Break O’Day council did not respond.

In the past year, the number of Airbnb listings in Australia doubled to more than 40,000, with operators raking in an estimated $280 million.

Another internet giant Trip Advisor, is set to enter the fray, putting further pressure on governments to clarify regulatory guidelines.

Called TripAdvisor Vacation Rentals, the site is designed to expand holiday rental options, in an almost identical fashion to Airbnb.

Originally published as Kentish Council swoops on Airbnb pensioner