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HOUSING MINISTER EOGHAN Murphy has told politicians to “hold their nerve” and not take heed of representations made to them calling for a “grace period” in the new short-term let laws.
TheJournal.ie understands that an email from Airbnb has been sent to a number of hosts asking them to contact politicians about the proposed regulations and request a postponement.
Under the proposed new laws, which are due to take effect on 1 July, homeowners who currently let a second property on a short-term basis will no longer be allowed to do so.
In addition, an annual cap of 90 days will apply for the renting out of a home and homeowners can only rent out their homes for 14 days or less at a time.
Short-term lets of second properties will also not be permitted in Rent Pressure Zones, such as Dublin city centre.
Where a home or apartment is a person’s principal private residence, they will be permitted to rent out a room, or rooms, within their home for short-term letting without restriction. This includes B&Bs.
New law
The correspondence from Airbnb provides a list of emails for Oireachtas members who sit on the housing committee, and encourages hosts to ask politicians to seek a “grace period” in the legislation.
The correspondence from Airbnb seen by TheJournal.ie state that the company is seeking a “grace period from government”, and mentions that the Housing Committee will be considering the regulations today.
The correspondence from Airbnb states that they should have received an email from Airbnb regarding an update on short term rental regulations.
It continues:
At this point, it would be timely for hosts affected by the proposals to continue to contact members of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing Planning and Local Government.
Maria Bailey (TD) is chair of this Committee. Sharing your story with her and to the Committee will be vitally important in the coming days; reasons why you host and what the regulations will mean to you and to your local community.
The correspondence then lists the politicians’ contacts details and attaches some “suggested text” that members of the public should send to the TDs and senators “to help you frame your story”.
‘Hold our nerve’
When asked for a comment after the correspondence came to light, Murphy said:
We are in a minority government. This is the correct thing to do for people living and working here. We need to hold our nerve as an Oireachtas.
Sinn Fein’s housing spokesperson Eoin O’ Bróin said he had received no such emails as of yet, but said if he does receive any they will “certainly not have an impact” on his view.
He said committee members have been lobbied by a lot of hosts since the new rules were announced last year. He acknowledged that some homeowners who use their home for Airbnb had “genuine concerns” but these are addressed in the legislation.
“The housing crisis is so bad now, we need to move those units back into the rental market,” he said.
No delay
He added that there is “no need to delay this”, stating that he has been raising the issue of short-term lets impact on the housing crisis since 2016.
O’ Bróin said there has “more than enough time” for people to get all in order before the new law comes into effect this summer.
The Sinn Féin deputy said the next move must be regulating short-term let platforms, such as Airbnb, stating that they should be obliged by law to share rental information to local authorities and revenue, as it will ensure enforcement of the new rules is a lot easier.
He said this needs to be done a matter of urgency. Murphy has indicated in previous committee hearings that any such regulations would lie with the Tourism Minister Shane Ross.
O’ Bróin said such regulations should not lie with Ross stating “this is about property regulation, not tourism”. He added that it makes “no sense to have a situation where there are no sanctions on the platform if they advertise properties that are not compliant with the law”.
In a statement to TheJournal.ie, Airbnb said:
“Thousands of families across Ireland use Airbnb to share their homes and many say the additional income actually helps them afford their homes and make ends meet. We believe these families should have the opportunity to share – in their own words – how home sharing supports them and how clear, fair and proportionate rules can support people-powered tourism that benefits everyone.
“Airbnb continues to lead calls for home sharing rules that work for everyone in Ireland, like we have already with more than 500 governments around the world.”
The company maintains it has long led calls for regulation that gives clarity to hosts across Ireland.
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Air bnb have some neck. Having tourists take up housings units all year round in cities around Ireland which have a shortage of accommodation is unacceptable. In the case of Dublin there are far too many properties in the city centre being rented out to tourists via air bnb at the expense of people who live here. It’s not the primary cause of the housing shortage but it’s certainly exacerbating it.
I used to use air bnb but I can’t condone a company which actively contributes to housing shortages. If I’m staying abroad in cities I book into hotels now which were built for tourists in the first place – not apartments or houses which were/should be intended for locals.
@Adrian Mac: give over would ya. There’s not enough hotels either. Isn’t the tourists fault ffs. Nothing to do with air b&b either. It’s a business model that works the world over. There’s no problem with air b&b, there’s a problem with Ireland
@Ronan McDermott: well said. If people are using air bnb instead of of renting out their room then it’s obviously a better fit for them. It’s not on their shoulders to solve the housing crisis.
@Adrian Mac: Yea its airbnbs fault theres a housing crisis in ireland. Hahaha
@Jeremiah A Craic: exactly. They own the property. Should be able to do what they want with it. These new regulations just try to pass the buck. Hotel prices in Ireland are ridiculously high as it is in peak season. For people that would normally use air b&b now they’ll just book into a hotel driving prices up further and take places in the hotel that homeless people would take. Just spin.
@Ronan McDermott: I actually reckon people that would normally book air bnb just won’t come here. this new law will likely have an impact on tourist numbers.
@sue: There is a problem with airb&b all around the world. Renting entire RESIDENTIAL properties to tourists pushes prices up. Kilkenny, 13 properties on offer to rent for living, 99 entire properties on offer on airb&b. The issue is residential vs business, taxed or not taxed.
@Jindrich Marz: and you reckon those landlords will now switch over to long-term rent? I genuinely don’t think so. yes, some might rent out longer. others might not like the commitment of long term rent. the government needs to stop relying on small private landlords. big numbers of properties are being sold off to vulture funds and current legislation is barely enforced with them. how about tackling this?
@sue: I reckon they will do what they used to do before airb&b. As I see in KK, most of the lets on air used to be lets for long term tenants. So yes airb&b is a part of the problem; not the sole cause of the housing crises but it is a part of it. And yes, I agree, the state has to stop relying on small private landlords. The state needs to become a large landlord itself, as is a norm all around Europe.
@Ronan McDermott: @Ronan McDermott: Owning a property doesn’t entitle the owner to do whatever the hell they please with it. There’s rules and regulations to be followed if you own a property in terms of how you use it, why should short-term lets via a platform like air bnb be any different?
Major cities around the world like Berlin already regulate air bnb usage in the city to make sure it doesn’t limit housing units available to residents. I’m not saying air bnb is the main issue, but to say that it has literally no effect on the housing shortage for renters here is frankly utter nonsense. There shouldn’t be more full residential homes available to rent on air bnb in Irish cities than there is on somewhere like daft, to say otherwise is BS.
@sue: they should tackle all of the above to be honest… including short term rental businesses. Have you seen people queuing to try find a decent long term rental? it’s not right. With regard to vulture funds… we need to push back on FG and FF, they are an absolute disgrace
@Adrian Mac: I totally agree with you. I experienced the direct negative effects of Airbnb while living in a private house in the Dublin 4 area and it was scary. I had a drunk young man banging at my ground floor flat window in the middle of the night demanding to be allowed in to talk to a girl who was staying in the Airbnb rented flat upstairs. It took me ages to convince him to leave and left my shaken! I was actually terrified. Tourists should not be staying among long term renters and working people. It’s not right and no business model, no matter how lucrative, should ever be allowed to disrupt the very fabric of society, dislocating and disrupting so many people and families lives in the process.
@Geralyn Early: Nicely said, well summarised.
@sue: Dublin is a city, where people are supposed to be able to live. It’s not a theme park. Residents take priority, not tourist accomodation.
@Jindrich Marz:
3 nights in the old Burlington hotel is €1,000 vs €300 in a 2 bed apartment.
That’s the problem.
@Adrian Mac: you’re correct. So build more then if there’s not enough.
@Michael Cunningham: 3 nights in the Ormonde Hotel is 240euro.
@sue: I think you’re right . In fact I know are. I don’t live here any more and this is something I have to factor In If coming for a trip
@Ronan McDermott: Actually there is a problem with Airbnb in several other countries. Canada, Holland & Germany for example. For example Toronto had to pass new laws last year and yet there are reports of Airbnb refusing to share any relevant information. This company is not a charity. It is all about profit…
Anything to stop people making a few quid, and to force them to make up a government shortfall.
@Logan Shepherd: It’s unlikely that the government have an interest in sabotaging people’s efforts to make a side income but rather that they’re trying to legislate to protect long-term tenants.
@Curious: Long term tenants don’t tend to short let. It’s just another item on a growing list of what people cannot do with their private property.
@Logan Shepherd:
State interference plain and simple, reminds me of a certain failed ideology.
@Logan Shepherd: You can’t make a reductionist statement like that. I was an airbnb host ( superhost) in fact for years. I’ve been to their HQ for meetings and seen the calibre and type of other hosts.
Many are ordinary people but a large chunk are greedy landlord property investor types who don’t give a shit about a housing crisis and just want the moolah.
That property mogul host demographic is who Airbnb (and FG too ultimately) really cares about.
@Jazz Buckler: I accept your point.
The fact remains that the landlords like everyone else, have a right to make as much profit as they can from their investments.
They didn’t invest in properties to relieve the homeless situation.
@Logan Shepherd: Like everyone they have the right to make as much profit within the laws. Laws are put there to help safe guard society. Big companies could make a lot more profit from the factories they invest in if they didn’t have to comply so much with health and safety laws or environmental protection laws.
@Darren Byrne: I’m not advocating law breaking.
@Logan Shepherd: people can certainly make a few quid renting out a second home to long term renters…
@Logan Shepherd: No you are advocating against the introduction of new laws to help protect people from not having a place to live.
@Jessie Ginger: Correct. But people can make more money on short term lets in tourist rich areas.
@Darren Byrne: Where did I say that Darren?
I’m advocating that if people want to use their property for short term lets they should be allowed to do so under the current regulations.
@Darren Byrne:
If you wanted to target big companies, limit a landlord to a max of 1 property they can short-term let.
I know of someone who was working in Dublin and paying full rent of €700 a month plus bills ‘ he had a contract etc’ he came back to Dublin earlier one week on a Saturday and discovered people sleeping in his bed
Landlord was renting his room out at weekends with all his property in said room
After confronting the landlord ‘ the landlord told him to leave as he could make more money on AirBNB
It’s simply greed on behalf of the landlord
@Mark Walsh: well obviously that’s a greedy landlord. U either do one or the other.
@Mark Walsh:
FFS hotels are ridiculously expensive and tiny. I’ve 3 kids. We visit Dublin once a year in the run up to Christmas.
3 nights in a city centre hotel that sleeps 5 would be ridiculous and for such a tiny space. Renting an apartment with separate rooms & a kitchen makes way more sense.
There’s space for short-term lets and hotels and decent housing everywhere else in the world except Ireland.
A lot of politicians are also landlords. They will no like the new law.
@Hans Vos: Why wouldn’t they – can’t imagine it will have an effect on any of them.
@Hans Vos: one of the biggest exaggerations constantly trotted out. Less than a third are. They would also need to be Airbnb host for this to actually effect them. The government have not done small landlords any favours for over a decade instead increasing charges,tax and restrictions. So reality flies in the face of your claims of favouritism.
Well landlords have a responsibility to live up to when they decide to go into the accomidation business to supply long or short term rental, to Tennant’s, they are not in the hotel or B/B business. After all hotels have to outlay millions to construct top rate hotels and B/B are there to cater for the weary traveller, flats and apartments are for people to live in and to work from on a long term basis. Simple air B/B is only a fad and anti long term Tennant.
@James Moore: long and short term let are two different markets. some landlords might have decided to do with short term in order to keep control over their properties. those are not likely to rent out long-term. others might be renting out to students but have the summer months free. those will also be penalised. air bnb allows some tourists to visit Ireland which otherwise wouldn’t come. it’s a divide and conquer tactic the government is using again, instead of actually focusing on solving the housing crisis. I would have thought enforcing legislation with vulture funds and protecting people that are already in their homes would be more important, plus build some affordable houses.
@sue: Totally agree Sue.
It’s a clear let’s distract the people and make it look like we are doing something about the people sleeping in tents around the canal, park benches around our city and doorways around our streets. Air b&b helps our tourism. There simply isn’t enough beds at peak times. Not all Air B&B’s are empty homes the other times it’s majority a spare room or those occupying the apartment can move to a family home for a weekend and make a side income. This simply won’t fix anything, other than affect people’s side incomes and drive visits to Dublin through the roof for tourists. A narrow minded approach by our narrow minded government and those who protested in Air B&B offices.
@Doug Leddin: and it won’t help our housing shortages at all. Like I said majority of the homes are occupied and people have a spare bed that they want to have entitled to have and work dam hard to have but once or twice a month are happy to have a guest from a different country stay and make new friends and host and make some money.
@Doug Leddin: let’s not forget those that rent out to students for a couple of months a year and then have the room free for the summer. this law won’t solve a thing.
@Doug Leddin: That’s still allowed under the new rules
There are short let holiday homes all over the country. People bought and built these properties as an investment, and as a way of making money.
How dare the government legislate as to what people should do with their private property. Especially when the legislation is to get the government out of a hole that they dug for themselves.
@Logan Shepherd: How dare the government legislate? I thought one of the duties of a government was to introduce legislation? Is it all legislation you are against or just legislation that prevents people doing what they want with their property? Are you advocating scrapping planning permission?
@Paddy O: Why not take the whole sentence for context Paddy, or did that not suit your narrative?
My comment was very clear on what I meant. How you managed to come up with planning permission beats me.
A lot of politicians are also landlords. They will not like the new law.
People worried they won’t have an income from air bnb anymore don’t have to, a very simple work around and they stay in business, put a desk in the hallway, a box of cereal and a liter of milk on the table and call it a B&B.
B&Bs in Galway have been doing that for years and they can charge more then.
They should stop interfering in all markets – health as well as housing…..
@Sean Oige: That’s something you don’t really wish. Because of the state being relativelly strong (in Europe) we have drinkable water, pensions, maternity, peace, etc. Some history lesson would be good for you.
@Jindrich Marz: We have all of that because of government interference in the economy? Pull the other one.
@Will: Yep, regulations on water quality are governmental interference, pensions, 40 hours working week and maternity as well (people were shot while demanding these) and peace is a direct outcome of this. You must be a very young or uneducated that you need this to be explained.
Don’t blame Airbnb for the artificial lack of supply caused by our greedy government and their landlord friends. I’m not responsible for homelessness or providing homes for others and if I choose to let me spare room from time to time that’s my business
@Marc Power: That’s still allowed under the new rules
@Marc Power: No one is stopping you letting out a room. The regulation is about entire RESIDENTIAL properties.
@Ultan Quirke: Be quite. Facts are not welcomed on the journal.
Airbnb are a business like any other. They only care about their own pockets. As a host myself, Airbnb tries to come across all friendly but its 100% money orientated and bullish at times. Bring on the new regulations.
Hosts are often completely unconcerned with their neighbours constantly being disrupted by noisy houseguests waking the entire apartment block, as has happened numerous times where we live.
Host doesn’t live there, so doesn’t seem to feel the need to tell guests to consider the people who have to get up for work the next day!
Summer months are AirB&B’s busiest time, so it makes sense. €£$¥
BTW I meant to say, Air B/B are anti long term Tennant.
Had a friend renting a place who was there for over a year always paid and kept the property looking well, owner said they planned to sell up and asked him to look for new accommodation, took him a while as he couldn’t afford much. That was 18 months ago and the property been on Air B&B since through same owner, never a thought of selling..
@MickN: I hope they have at least reported the landlord to PTRB? Whilst they are a waste of space he should do something and not just sit by.
So over a few bevies in the Dail bar the politicians who own properties all around the country will discuss how they can avoide the new laws. What’s new in that.
hello
im a homeowner next to an Airbnb I cant seem to find anything that protects us from this rental service. my problem is the noise, loud music, house parties, drinking and drug taking on the premises. I have a partner and an 18mth old baby some weekends we don’t sleep at all and I work every weekend, I have spoke to the host numerous occasions and he said the house rules are in place which they are but people don’t seem to take any notice and carry on with loud noise house parties etc.. I have contacted the local police many times but they are restricted on what they can do. the host has 2 houses as Airbnb is there any information anywhere that can point me in the direction as a homeowner that states what my rights are surely me and my family are entitled to sleep at night.
Read the proposed legislation
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/aug/31/airbnb-sharing-economy-cities-barcelona-inequality-locals Says it all, Silicone valley is the enemy of the people…
So if I were living in South Kerry depending on seasonal AirBnB and where half of the houses are empty for 8 months of the year, I will still be treated on the same basis as someone living on the banks of the Liffy in Dublin 2. As Nan might say ” what a load of sh-t.
With the new laws landlords who use the air bnb model will now just lock up the property for 6 monthly the year. Easier to make the money quick using air bnb and then leave the property idle. Less ware n tear arc. Just watch it happen it happen. New rules won’t help rental market.
have your say