Pressure builds for national and mandatory short-term let registration scheme

The government has been urged to consider a national and mandatory short-term let registration scheme to provide “vital protections” for guests.

It comes after the publication of a report on short-term lets and the visitor economy from the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Hospitality and Tourism, which stressed it was “essential” for each short-term let to meet the same standards as the wider accommodation sector.

The APPG advised the government to establish a national data set on short-term lets in England; to allow local authorities to enforce compliance of registered short-term lets with existing legislation; and to collect comprehensive data, including property information, through the scheme.

Simon Jupp MP (East Devon) and chair of the Hospitality and Tourism APPG, said: “The accommodation sector has seen such rapid change over the past 15 years, with digital platforms leading to a boom in the number of short-term lets operating.

“The Hospitality and Tourism APPG fully supports the Government’s decision to introduce a registration scheme and we are recommending in this report that it is implemented nationally and made mandatory for all letting businesses.”

He added: “Such a move would solve several immediate issues. Most notably, it would bring short-term lets up to the legal standard required of other accommodation providers, particularly for health and safety. Ensuring these properties are safe for paying guests is the bare minimum this scheme should be delivering.”

“Requirements to be registered before being allowed to feature on digital platforms would provide vital protections for consumers and build greater confidence into the accommodation market.”

Hoteliers in Edinburgh welcomed the introduction of tighter restrictions on short-term lets in the city in September 2022, while Prime Minister Rishi Sunak committed to introducing a registration scheme for short-term holiday lets in December last year.