Airbnb has become so widespread in Britain that parts of the country now have listings for four properties, raising fears that the rapid expansion of short-term rentals is ‘out of control’ and depriving communities of much-needed accommodation.
An exclusive Guardian analysis identified Airbnb hotspots in rural areas and inner-city areas, where the ratio of active Airbnb listings to houses was more than 20 times higher than the average in England, Scotland and Wales.
Airbnbs’ highest incidence was in Edinburgh‘s Old Town, where there were 29 active listings per 100 properties.
North West Skye had the second highest concentration, with 25 listings for 100 properties, including a seafront (£50 a night), a modern cottage clad in corrugated iron (£190) and an isolated cottage with ocean and mountain views (£160).
In England, the area with the highest rate of Airbnb rentals was WoolacombeGeorgeham and Croyde, Devon, with 23 listings for 100 properties.
In one area of the Lake District: Windermere North, Ambleside and Langdales, there were 19 listings per 100 properties. Local MP Tim Farron described Airbnb’s growth in an area already dominated by second home owners as “a truly worrying issue”.
Airbnb questioned the accuracy of the results, pointing out that unusual listings such as caravans or large mansions, used for events, may not affect local housing stock. He said some listings can be booked for just a few nights a year.
But others warned that Airbnb’s growth played into broader concerns about the effect of short-term rentals. “The uncontrolled growth of online vacation rentals is robbing communities of much-needed housing,” said Dan Wilson Craw, director of housing lobby group Generation Rent. “In rural areas as in cities, the story is the same: young adults cannot afford to settle in the areas where they grew up.