Waste! Oxford is the latest to crack down on Airbnb whole-home rental properties – LandlordZONE
Oxford City Council is set to become the next local authority to charge whole house owners of short-term properties for rubbish collection.
This follows similar decisions taken by other councils, including Scarborough, isle of wight, Dorset and Hampshire.
Currently, most municipalities empty trash cans and trash cans for entire short-term homes or vacation properties as if they were private homes.
But Oxford is proposing to treat all properties registered as businesses – many of which are for the tax benefits of their owners – as if they were “business premises” such as a restaurant or office.
If Oxford Council Cabinet approves the proposals, the council will notify short-term whole house owners registered as businesses and either agree a commercial waste contract with them or complete the removal of containers from household waste by the end of the year.
Enforcement
And enforcement action against non-compliant short rentals registered as businesses will begin in 2023.
The council says short whole house rentals rented through Airbnb or Homeaway are starting to reduce the number of family homes available to rent in Oxford, with data from AirDNA revealing that some 869 are currently offered online.
“The government must act to ensure the level playing field with the rest of the rental market and other highly regulated commercial businesses,” said Councilor Linda Smith, Member of Cabinet for Housing.
“Until then, we will continue to use our planning enforcement powers against unauthorized changes to the planning use class, and we are now removing this unfair advantage of free waste collection for short rentals of whole house that are registered as businesses.
“They will have to arrange a waste business agreement contract, just like other businesses in the city; it’s only fair because these properties avoid paying council tax.”
The government recently launched a examining the impact of short-term tourist accommodation in England and is consultation on a possible short rental registration system until September 21.
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