Fears short-term letting bill will hit tourism industry
The Government’s proposed short-term letting bill will be “robbing Peter to pay Paul” a Cork tourism provider has said.
The bill, which is expected to go before cabinet this year, is aimed at encouraging property owners to make homes available for long-term letting rather than short-term tourism-focused letting.
If passed, it will require anyone offering paid accommodation for 21 nights or less to register on the Short Term Tourist Letting Register. The bill has already been delayed for over a year as the EU deems it too restrictive for companies like Airbnb and Booking.com.
Toby Slocum, who oversees a number of properties in Kinsale, said the proposed bill has caused “considerable confusion and anxiety” and says he fears his business could be taken away from him.
“We could also face criminal prosecution if we don't comply,” he told the Cork Independent.
“My properties are hard-earned assets. It leaves a sour taste if the Government restricts what I can do with my own fully operational and income bearing assets,” added Mr Slocum.
As is the case with many areas of Cork, dereliction has become a significant issue in Kinsale, and Mr Slocum believes that is where the local council and the Government’s focus should be.
He said: “There must be an alternative. For example, there appears to be a number of vacant and/or derelict properties in the centre of Kinsale. Perhaps instead of enforcing a short-term letting ban, the council could focus on taking stronger measures to encouraging owners of these properties to develop them into habitable accommodation for the long-term rental market in Kinsale rather than penalising small businesses who are already successfully running an accommodation offering, providing employment, providing a much-needed resource, and paying their
taxes.”
Like many other tourism providers in Cork, Mr Slocum said his properties are fully booked between April and October and that if Airbnb properties were removed from the tourism sector, the result could be devastating for Irish tourism.
“The impact would be felt across all tourism providers as we are synergistic and all work together for the common good of the tourism industry in Kinsale,” said Mr Slocum.
Asked if letting his properties on a year-round basis was a feasible option for him, Mr Slocum said it wasn’t.
Earlier this week, Ireland South MEP Cynthia Ní Mhurchú called for the Short Term Lettings bill to be scrapped, saying it could lead to a tourism crisis in rural Ireland.
“There are absolutely no guarantees that those short term rental properties that are forced out of the tourism rental market will rent out their properties on the long term rental market,” said Ms Ní Mhurchú.
Chair of the Irish Self Catering Federation (ISCF), Derek Keogh, said his organisation share the concerns of Ms Ní Mhurchú in that the bill in its current format will not deliver the desired outcome.
Mr Keogh said: “Initially it was quoted that over 12,000 homes will come back to the long-term market as a result of the implementation of this bill. This figure has now been reduced to 10,731 on official documentation. The elephant in the room is no one has asked how these figures were produced and are they actually deliverable.
“With specific reference to county Cork, the official figures quoted is that 991 houses and 322 apartments will be returned to the long-term market. This represents 75% of current houses deemed short-term lets, and 90% of the current apartments deemed short-term lets. What these figures do not say is whereabouts these properties are in the county. Are they in high density urban areas or in the depths of West Cork? What will the impact be on removing over 1,300 dwellings to tourism in Cork?” he added.