Brighton and Hove City Council has been lobbying ministers to become one of the first places in England to trial the Government’s national registration and licensing system for short-term rentals on platforms such as Airbnb, Booking.com and Vrbo.

The council says it is the result of its growing concerns over the number of homes being used for visitor accommodation rather than for housing for local residents, particularly in areas where the rental supply is already limited.

Under development

The council’s Place Overview and Scrutiny Committee was advised, however, that the Government is still developing the online platform, which it intends to test with a number of local authorities.

An early version of the system could be ready as soon as this spring, but it may not be introduced until later this year or even early next year.

Brighton and Hove, which is home to Angela Rayner, admits it has struggled to control or even accurately assess the true scale of local short-term letting, with estimates ranging from around 2,000 to as many as 6,000 homes being currently advertised.

Protect supply

Its leaders say that if they were given the go-ahead, the licensing scheme would help protect local rental supply, raise health and safety standards, address issues such as noise and rubbish complaints, and ensure the correct taxes are paid.

According to Brighton and Hove News, the issue will be discussed by the council at Hove Town Hall on 24 March as part of wider efforts to manage the impact of the city’s expanding short-term rental market and its effect on housing availability.