WA Premier flags more Airbnb regulations

Governments around the world are taking steps to crack down on short stay rental accommodation services like Airbnb and WA says it will follow in the coming years.

Western Australia’s Premier has flagged changes to short stay rental accommodation services like Airbnb - but says banning the service would be “a big call”.

Real Estate Institute of WA (REIWA) data shows Perth’s February rental vacancy rate at 0.7 per cent.

The record low rate is, in part, being driven by properties being taken off the rental market and listed on services such as Airbnb and Stayz.

When he was on Sunday asked if he would consider banning services like Airbnb, Premier Mark McGowan said: “That’s a big call.

“Obviously a lot of people have made business decisions in regards to Airbnb. And a lot of tourists that come to Western Australia use Airbnb to stay, so it’s a bit of a vexed question.”

WA Premier Mark McGowan’s government is exploring further regulation of short term rental accommodation. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

The problem has prompted governments around the world to regulate short stay providers.

Mr McGowan, whose government is already looking at limiting the number of nights a year an investment property can be rented as short stay accommodation, said more changes could be on the way.

“We’re looking at regulating Airbnb, we’re looking at rules around it, and we expect to be introducing rules in the coming year or two,” Mr McGowan said.

Perth’s rental vacancy rate is one of the lowest in the country, at 0.7 per cent in February according to REIWA data. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Jeremy Piper

“It is a difficult issue to just say a certain type of investment is banned but we’re trying to build as many houses as we can as quickly as we can.

“There’s currently 30,000 houses being built in the private market. They just come on stream slowly, because so many are being built, that’s just the reality of what we’re dealing with.”

Mr McGowan, acknowledged the low rental vacancy rate was due to a “range of factors.”

Portugal made headlines earlier this year when its government stopped granting new licenses for Airbnbs and other similar services.