Bristol hoteliers call on council to take action over Airbnb hosts

Bristol hoteliers have called on the city's council to level the playing field as they compete with Airbnb hosts.

Imran Ali, chairman of the Bristol Hoteliers Association, has said there are 2,000 Bristol rooms registered on the platform which present unfair competition and a health and safety risk.

The association has suggested introducing Airbnb exclusion zones in the city, licensing hosts, carrying out health and safety checks and recording bookings to ensure taxes are paid on income.

It also proposes that residents be given the opportunity to block properties or rooms on the street they live in from being listed.

Ali said: "Why should hotels and B&B owners have to pay business rates, VAT and comply with rigorous health and safety checks, fire assessments, PAT testing, visits from environmental department and undergo food hygiene tests while those offering their property or rooms on Airbnb don't have to do any of these things.

"The dangers are there to see from both a business and health and safety point of view. Also, while I don't want to tar all Airbnb owners with the same brush, it's highly debatable whether all of Bristol's Airbnb landlords declare their income to the taxman!"

He continued: "We're happy for competition however it has to be on a level playing field. If nothing is done, hotels and B&Bs will close down. The council will then start to lose income from the tax they currently receive from these legitimate businesses. Food and drink suppliers will lose trade, cleaning services will no longer be required and local people will lose their jobs. It's that serious and I can't put it more bluntly."

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