Call for info about Airbnb

HOW has Airbnb affected you and your neighbourhood? A parliamentary inquiry wants to know ... and is braced for a flood of feedback.

AN inquiry into Tasmania’s short-stay accommodation sector is braced for a huge number of submissions from people affected by the booming market.

Inquiry chairwoman MLC Rosemary Armitage said it was likely the inquiry, announced on Tuesday, would extend beyond this year.

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“There is so much to look at, I expect we will even need more inquiry days than those we have listed,” she said.

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Ms Armitage said people were already sending her comments about the impact of the sector, spanning large hotels to residents concerned about the changing character of their neighbourhoods.

“There are some larger hotel chains finding they have empty rooms — I’m sure they’ll be making submissions,” she said.

She said real estate agencies had also told her about the huge reduction in their rental listings.

“They are losing business as well,” she said.

Ms Armitage said she expected to hear from a wide variety of people and sectors, including short-stay accommodation providers, traditional tourism providers, Airbnb users and people living in the most-affected suburbs.

The inquiry will take evidence in the three regions — North, North-West and South.

The Legislative Council resolved on Tuesday to appoint a select committee to inquire into:

The growth of short-term accommodation in Tasmania and the changing character of the market;

The impact on the residential housing sector;

The impact on the tourism sector; and

Regulatory issues including customer safety, land use planning, neighbourhood amenity and licencing conditions.

Websites such as Airbnb and Stayz allow individuals to advertise rooms in their homes for short-term rental, and homeowners do not require a council permit to rent out fewer than four bedrooms at their primary place of residence.

But Ms Armitage said she doubted the people renting out parts of their homes were fully aware of all their requirements, such as the need for commercial insurance.

Tasmanian Legislative Councillor Rosemary Armitage will chair a select committe inquiry into the impact of short-stay accommodation in Tasmania. Picture: SAM ROSEWARNE.

“This inquiry is going to open a whole can of different areas to look,” she said.

The committee will advertise widely this weekend, inviting Tasmanians to come forward with their input.

Submissions received by the committee are generally made public on the inquiry’s website, although requests for confidentiality can be made.

The committee may contact people who have made submissions to invite them to appear at public hearings.

The call for submissions will close by the end of business on Friday, August 10.

To find out more, click here.