Deputy Mayor Peter Sexton wants community to ‘dob in’ unlicensed Airbnbs across Hobart

HOBART Deputy Lord Mayor Peter Sexton has come up with a radical plan to identify Airbnbs that don’t comply with Hobart City Council’s criteria.

Deputy Lord Mayor Peter Sexton wants the community to monitor Airbnb properties in their area. Picture: RICHARD JUPE

HOBART Deputy Mayor Peter Sexton wants residents to dob in suspected unlicensed Airbnb properties in their area to try and curb the spike in unregulated short-term accommodation in the city.

The plan comes after Opposition housing spokesman Josh Willie called on the State Government to pause new approvals for short-stay accommodation in high-stress, inner-city areas until findings from a proposed Legislative Council inquiry could be completed.

Ald Sexton said Labor’s proposal would not work.

MORE: LABOR’S MEASURES TO ADDRESS RENTAL CRISIS

“Calling for a moratorium on restricting further Airbnb properties is not going to help the current situation because under the current legislation, licences from council are not required for most properties that are being offered on Airbnb,” he said.

“For four rooms or less, no licences are required to act as a short-term accommodation property,” he said.

“It is extremely difficult for councils to determine whether a property is complying with the legislation.”

Ald Sexton, who lives in Battery Point, has asked the Battery Point Community Association to scout the neighbourhood and report properties it believes are Airbnbs to the council.

“I’ve asked the council officers to provide me with a list of licensed Airbnb properties in Battery Point,” he said.

“I’m then going to ask the community association to compare the two lists.

“That would help identify the properties that are not listed as licensed short-term accommodation.”

Ald Sexton said the council would then be able to determine whether or not the property met the criteria for being exempt from licensing.

“If it’s correct, then they will take action and that could mean the person either has to stop running the place as a short-term accommodation or they will have to apply for a licence,” he said.

Battery Point Community Association president Charles Morgan said he had yet to take the proposal to the association but was not opposed to it.

“I think any way we can gather data to inform our understanding of the effect of visitor accommodation on residential amenity and affordable housing is going to be valuable,” he said.

“We are not opposed to visitor accommodation. What we are opposed to is a one-size-fits-all unregulated visitor accommodation.”

Mr Morgan said Battery Point residents had witnessed a change in the community.

“We have seen long-term residents have to move out of their rental accommodation because it was being turned into visitor accommodation.”

Last week, the State Government said it would offer homeowners up to $13,000 to make their properties available to low-income renters.

MORE: PAYMENT FOR LANDLORDS TO OFFER AFFORDABLE RENTALS